Just after noon on the year's first sitting of parliament, the Prime Minister said "sorry" six times - and television producers no doubt gasped "thank you" a thousand times for the sound-bite.

"I am sorry. We are sorry. I'm sorry to Miss Higgins for the terrible things that took place here," Mr Morrison said, referring to the litany of abuse listed in the report by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins."

The former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins whose allegation of rape led to the inquiry was in the gallery listening to the series of "sorries" and a masterclass in communication.

Whatever the hard reality of the genial uncle with the wan smile (also known as the Prime Minister), he has political ability. He may once have been a liar to Barnaby Joyce - but he knows how to communicate sincerity.

The way Mr Morrison and the leader of the opposition discussed the report on sexual abuse was a model of parliamentary dialogue: constructive and polite. Grown up, even - yes, grown up.

So where else could it go but down-hill?

Question Time two hours later made Punch and Judy look like models of Socratic dialogue. This was about who will be Big Dog after May 21, the last date on which the election can happen.

The word "fraud" was used - and then withdrawn. "Gibberish" was uttered in a less than masterly command of Wildean wit and repartee.

It has to be said there was more heat than light. Not much emerged from the "debate" beyond the battle-lines of the next election.

Labor will try to pin the pandemic on Mr Morrison's government, particularly what it dubs the "crisis" in aged care facilities.

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The Liberals will retort that the government did a sterling job in difficult times. "When will the leader of the opposition stop trying to politicise the pandemic," Scott Morrison barked at Anthony Albanese.

The Labor leader displayed "constant negativity" and "snarling and growling", according to the Prime Minister. Mr Albanese was accused of being a "Bolshevik".

There are other issues beyond taxes and COVID, of course.

In the corridors, the great Olympian Ian Thorpe made his case against Mr Morrison's religious discrimination bill. The legendary swimmer said the proposal (if passed) would allow "state sponsored discrimination."

The cameras duly clicked and the scribblers duly scribbled - but the big fight was the Morrison/Albo bout in the main arena.

Even the publicity-hungry protesters outside Parliament House seemed like a side-show.

They shouted, "Scott Morrison, we are coming for you." And they gave the police three cheers. "Hip-hip hurrah", the revolutionaries fighting against vaccine tyranny cried.

Officers seemed unmoved. Voters may be, too.