The opening of the 45th parliament this week featured the now firmly established practice of an Indigenous smoking ceremony, and a Welcome to Country by Ngunnawal elder, Tina Brown.

The occasion included speeches from Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and Federal Opposition leader, Bill Shorten. Both assured those present of their intentions to continue efforts to tackle Indigenous disadvantage.

On the lawns outside Parliament House the same morning, Indigenous elders and community leaders joined with Indigenous MPs in a demonstration calling for Turnbull to ‘meet with First Peoples.’

This simple request, displayed on the lawn surrounded by the ‘sea of hands,’ reveals the extent to which many Indigenous people feel the government has failed to demonstrate good faith.