Glum Scott Morrison returns to Parliament for first time since being ousted, makes way to backbench 

A glum looking Scott Morrison has been sworn into Parliament after dodging the first week with a trip to Japan. 

Mr Morrison joined former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby in fronting the 47th Parliament on Monday morning and pledging his allegiance to the Queen. 

Mr Joyce was unable to attend Parliament last week following the death of his father, Jim, aged 98. 

The ex-prime minister then made his way to the backbench for the first time in nine years after resigning from the leadership of the Liberal Party following the May federal election loss.

Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou, who also missed the first week of Parliament, was sworn in alongside the former Prime Minister and his deputy. 

In the Senate, Greens senator Lidia Thorpe drew the ire of the Opposition benches after branding the Queen a ‘coloniser’ while reciting the oath of allegiance.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is off to a strong start in the first Newspoll since Labor won office. 

His voter satisfaction rating is at 61 per cent, the poll published in The Australian on Monday shows. 

This is the highest number recorded for a post-election Newspoll for a new Prime Minister since the satisfaction measure started in 1985. 

Mr Albanese is also ahead on the preferred Prime Minister measure, at 59 per cent versus 25 per cent for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. 

On a two-party preferred basis, Labor is ahead at 56 per cent compared to 44 per cent for the Liberal-National coalition. 

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in a much better mood on February 11, 2022, when he was still the PM

Labor’s primary vote has lifted to 37 per cent, from 32.6 per cent at the May 21 election, against 33 per cent for the coalition. 

The Greens are tracking at 12 per cent, while the teal independents were on 10 per cent. 

Independent Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie said Mr Albanese wasn’t just in a honeymoon period. 

‘He is still doing the wedding waltz,’ she told Nine Network on Monday.  

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pictured during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, July 28, 2022

But she warned there were challenges ahead, particularly on the cost of living.

‘There will be a fair bit of pressure on him over the next six months,’ she said. 

‘Living standards out there are tough, people are doing it really tough, so let’s see how it goes.’ 

The Newspoll of 1,508 voters was conducted between July 27-30. 

Parliament sits for four days this week before taking a four-week break.