The members of Australia’s 43rd parliament have been sworn-in i Canberra by Chief Justice of the High Court Robert French on Tuesday.

According to media reports, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott attended the traditional smoking ceremony, which was preceded by a speech from Aboriginal elder Matilda House.

“On the occasion of this opening of the 43rd Parliament I welcome you,” Julia Gillard said, adding “With this welcome I express the hope of a united, reconciled nation, the oldest living culture joined with the many diverse cultures of a modern successful Australia.”

Deputy Governor-General Robert French officially opened the Parliament and MPs were sworn-in.

Prime Minister Gillard told parliament it was a “cause for regret” that some proposed parliamentary reforms had already failed, in a reference to the Coalition’s decision to back away from pairing the Speaker.

Labor’s Harry Jenkins was nominated as Speaker, and was elected unopposed to the post, which he held in the last parliament.

The post of Deputy Speaker was expected to be resolved later in the day, and has been the subject of controversy as Labor tries to protect its one-vote majority on the floor of parliament.

The Coalition last week walked away from a reform deal that would have seen the Speaker paired and the government maintain a two-vote buffer.

Gillard told parliament today there had been “some setbacks” already on the path to parliamentary reform. “This term of parliament is not a chance to re-fight the election, vote after vote, bill after bill.

The Australian people…want a constructive parliament,” she said.

Gillard renewed her invitation to the opposition to help make her minority government work in Australia’s first hung parliament in 70 years.

There are 32 new MPs in total, and only eight from the ALP.