Australia's new Governor-General says his most important role is to protect the integrity of our democracy, days after revelations that former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull threatened a constitutional crisis in order to save his leadership.
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Former NSW governor David Hurley was sworn in as Australia's 27th Governor-General at Parliament House on Monday.
Mr Hurley said his most important role was "to ensure the strength of our democracy is maintained."
"The strength of this country is our democracy that brings stability peace and certainty to all of us. That is worth protecting. That shapes us," Mr Hurley said.
"To make our democracy work, to serve the people, to act as they expect us to act and put their interests and those of the nation first, that's what we're called to do in service. That's what I'm called to do and Linda and I will give our utmost to do it."
In a speech to welcome the new Governor-General, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the role was "central to the stability of our system of democratic government".
"The office of governor-general has provided the stability in spite of politics for more than a century," Mr Morrison said.
The ceremony, with its bayonets and brass band, came amidst a wider spat over the roles and responsibilities of the governor-general as more is uncovered about the events that brought Mr Morrison to power.
Mr Turnbull reportedly argued with Attorney-General Christian Porter over dragging former governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove into the Liberal leadership spill last August, suggesting Sir Peter would not swear Peter Dutton in as prime minister over nagging concerns he was not eligible to sit in parliament.
Mr Porter said Mr Turnbull's view was "wrong in law" and Mr Dutton's eligibility was a matter for the party room, but Mr Turnbull maintained the governor-general had discretion over who was sworn in.
"The proposition advanced by Mr Porter that it is none of the GG's business whether he would be PM is constitutionally eligible is nonsense. The GG is not a constitutional cipher," Mr Turnbull tweeted.
Mr Hurley's first role to will be to open the 46th parliament on Tuesday.
It's a return to Canberra for the Hurleys, who lived here from 2008 to 2014 while the Governor-General was serving as vice-chief and later chief of the Defence Force.
He is listed as an honorary patron of the ACT Veteran Rugby Club. His wife Linda formerly volunteered at Clare Holland House.
And Mr Hurley gave a nod to the local Aboriginal community when he delivered his first words in the Senate chamber in the language of the Ngunnawal people - "Dhawra nguna dhawra Ngunawal Yanggu gulanyin ngalawiri, dhunayi, Ngunawal dhawra. Wanggarralijinyin mariny balan bugarabang".
His office liaised with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studie and Ngunnawal elder, Tyronne Bell before he gave the address, a spokesman said.
