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Night Watch Report:  The Governor General, Quentin Bryce on Monday swore in to Kevin Rudds new cabinet new frontbencher Ed Husic. Nothing new here except that the new frontbencher swore alegience with his hand on the Holy Qur'an. Although this is act is new in Australian politics. In the past two prime ministers have sworn an oath of allegiance to the commonwealth instead of the Queen: Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating.

Between the two, Prime Minister John Howard returned to a pledge of allegiance to the Queen instead of the commonwealth – although removed references to her heirs, and kept in the section about “the people of Australia”.

"I, [Minister's full name], do swear that I will well and truly serve the people of Australia in the office of [position] and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. So help me God!"

From September 2010, ministers made the following oath or affirmation:

I, [Minister’s full name], do swear that I will well and truly serve the Commonwealth of Australia in the office of [position]. So help me God!
or
I, [Minister’s full name], do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will well and truly serve the commonwealth of Australia in the office of [position]


7/2/2013 10:29:59 am

One wonders whether this trend lends itself to division or unity.

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    My romance with photography began at the age of eight, over 45 years ago, in a town called Zrenjanin in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. I was the eldest of five children as our family of seven traveled half way around the world, crossing twelve time zones to arrive in Australia in 1968 as an illiterate immigrant.

    The years that followed, were to reveal to me, that photography was going to be my key out of a factory job.


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