New G-G David Hurley says Australia is ‘unfinished product’ as he vows to put community first

New Governor-General David Hurley has vowed to put community engagement on par with his constitutional duties.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison shakes hands with Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese at the swearing-in of Governor-General David Hurley, left, in Parliament House yesterday. Picture: Getty Images

New Governor-General David Hurley declared Australia was “not a finished product” as he vowed to put community engagement on par with his constitutional duties in his role as the Queen’s representative.

The former defenc­e force chief and NSW governor revealed his ambition to promote the spirit of Australians after he was sworn in as the nation’s 27th Governor-General, replacing Sir Peter Cosgrove, who served for five years.

“My emphasis on community engagement will sit alongside the critical constitutional role performed by the Governor-General,” General Hurley said in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, where he was sworn in by High Court Chief Justice Susan Kiefel.

“Through speeches, supportive visits and the conduct of events, of encouragement and recognition, the governor-general can highlight to Australians their inherent strengths, their concern for the common good, their humanity and decency and the desire for a fair go.

“I have seen this richness of spirit at work in the people and the organisations assisting our veterans, our rural communities under stress, asylum-seekers who we have welcomed into our country and our indigenous brothers and sisters.”

General Hurley opened his address to the Senate by making a short statement in the local indigenous Ngunnawal language.

Mr Morrison signs the official swearing-in document. Picture: AAP

The chamber was packed with politicians from both houses — including Scott Morrison, Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten — but the Greens snubbed the event in favour of a partyroom meeting.

“Australian Greens MPs have been in an important partyroom meeting this morning to discuss priorities for the first week of the new parliament. We welcome David Hurley to the role of governor-general,” a Greens spokesman said yesterday.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was also not there, though her new Queensland colleague Malcolm Roberts was in the front row representing the party.

Speaking at Parliament House after the swearing-in ceremony, the Prime Minister backed the Governor-General to “shine a light” on the goodness in Australians.

Governor-General David Hurley inspects the Federation Guard in front of Parliament House after being sworn in. Picture: Kym Smith

“In a global age of fragmentation and tribalism, we have in our system a constitutional office beyond politics that enables us all to come together,” Mr Morrison said. “The joy of this role is who you meet every single day: farmers getting on with their lives providing for their families and their communities despite crippling drought; veterans recovering from their wounds that are seen and unseen; teachers who work back late to give kids the best possible start in life.

“More than any role in public life, the job of governor-general is to bring Australians together, to remind us all of our social fabric and to uplift the discouraged and to give hope.”

Anthony Albanese paid tribute to former governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove as “one of the most outstanding Australians of recent decades”.

“Time after time, when this nation called upon Sir Peter to serve, he responded,” the Opposition Leader said.