Challenge each other, engage in contest of ideas: carer-in-chief Sam Mostyn plots a new path

Governor-General Sam Mostyn has rallied the nation to challenge each other, engage in a contest of ideas and bring a ‘sense of care’ to Australia’s big debates.

New Governor-General Sam Mostyn is sworn in at Canberra on Monday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Governor-General Sam Mostyn rallied the nation to challenge each other, engage in a contest of ideas and bring a “sense of care” to Australia’s big debates, as she was embraced as the King’s representative by old progressive friends and new conservative ones.

After flying close to controversy before she even took the oath of office, with a $400,000 pay rise compared to her predecessor and a history of campaigning for fashionable causes, Ms Mostyn on Monday laid out a more unifying vision for her five-year term and won plaudits from all sides of politics.

In her first speech to parliament the new governor-general said she would follow the examples of Sir William Deane and Dame Quentin Bryce, signalling she would be the nation’s carer-in-chief, after 10 years of military vice-regal leaders in David Hurley and Sir Peter Cosgrove.

As she was sworn into office in front of Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton and her former comrades in the voice to parliament campaign, Ms Mostyn said she wanted Australians to join her in nurturing the institutions and the contests the nation needed to have.

“I hope we can continue to extend that sense of care to our stunningly beautiful continent, landscapes and natural environment. But also to our institutions, public debates, and sense of civic responsibility,” she told the parliament on Monday.

“To the way in which we challenge ourselves and one another, and engage in the contest of ideas that will guide the tough decisions that are needed for our country to thrive.

“Care has a deep and resonant place in our Australian identity. Care is the gentle thought and the outstretched hand that Australians have always been ready to share when great challenges present themselves. Care is the quieter, better part of ourselves.”

The new Governor-General touched on issues that had been important to her for decades, from the environment to Indigenous reconciliation.

But, echoing concerns raised by former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard – who was for some time seen as a potential candidate for the vice-regal role – Ms Mostyn had a warning for fellow feminists.

She said in her speech that while curbing domestic violence rates for women was imperative, so was helping men find their place in a modern Australia.

“There is concern for rising lack of respect for women, of shrinking opportunities for some men, and the need for respectful conversations to understand the place of men in our communities now,” Ms Mostyn said.

Watched on by fellow members of the Yes campaign for an Indigenous voice to parliament, Ms Mostyn invoked Noel Pearson in outlining her vision for the nation.

“His three-part portrait of our nation frames who we are. In his words, our Indigenous foundation of 65,000 years, our British institutions and our remarkable multicultural present and future,” she said.

“Noel’s words capture so much of what is mighty about this country, the things we should celebrate, be thankful for and fight to strengthen.”

While Mr Pearson was not spotted at the ceremony, influential Indigenous leaders Megan Davis, Pat Anderson and Sally Scales embraced after Ms Mostyn was sworn in.

After her speech, which was well received publicly and privately by senior conservatives, the Opposition Leader said that in Ms Mostyn, “we have a distinguished Australian” and someone worthy of the office.

At the swearing-in ceremony, the Prime Minister made no secret of his personal relationship with Ms Mostyn, a person of “loyalty and integrity” he had known a long time.

“You have clear eyes and a big heart, and both have shaped your vision of who and what we can be as a nation,” he said.

“Throughout your life and across your great breadth of experience in the worlds of law and business and sport, the not-for-profit sector, you have always been ready to put yourself forward for others.

“You (are) a human catalyst with an unrelenting capacity for making things happen.

“You have blazed so many trails for women. You have pushed open the doors of opportunity and equality.

“You have made a real difference for Indigenous Australians.”

Watching on were other prominent Liberal leaders, including former prime minister and vocal republic movement member Malcolm Turnbull.

Ms Mostyn said she was also abreast of concerns on whether young Australians would enjoy the benefits of Australia “in the way that older generations have”, alluding to the housing crisis gripping the nation.

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy national convener David Flint told The Australian Ms Mostyn’s speech was “well crafted” and “she tried to address what people would expect”.

“There were no surprises,” he said. “She covered all bases and it was, as I said, very well crafted, consistent with what the Prime Minister wants.

“The whole point is the Governor-General provides leadership above politics and is there as the constitutional check and balance.”

In a nod to current and former servicemen and women in the room, including outgoing chief of the defence force Angus Campbell as well as her father, Ms Mostyn said the bond between her office and the defence forces was “deep and longstanding”.

“(It’s) a bond that has particular importance for me as the daughter of an army officer, who served Australia in that capacity for almost 40 years,” she said.

Despite unity among conservatives and progressives as Ms Mostyn read out the oath of affirmation, political divisions flourished outside the Senate chamber.

“Samantha Mostyn will from today act on behalf of an English aristocrat 17,000km away in London,” Australian Republic Movement chief executive Isaac Jeffrey said.

“It’s time for democracy, not monarchy. It’s time for elections, not power and privilege by birthright.

“It’s time for skills, experience and merit, not kowtowing to a foreign King and his appointed representative.

“It’s time for Australia to be an equal, not an afterthought.”

The Greens also challenged the government in question time over whether it would hold a referendum for a republic in its second term.

Labor’s leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, said the party was committed to the principle but wide-eyed on the difficulty of winning referendums, demonstrated during the voice to parliament debate.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe said the role of governor-general was “a waste of money” and the focus should be on a treaty with Australia’s First Peoples.