Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today in workplaces around Australia there will be a few yawns going on, I suspect, because overnight there was quite a remarkable result in one of the greatest test matches of all time. To our captain Patrick Cummins, what a remarkable show of leadership. I think one of the best things about that 55-run partnership between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon was the fact that that they smiled the whole way through. They enjoyed it so much it was as if there was no pressure whatsoever. Usman Khawaja, with an incredible 206 runs, also deserves credit. He is a former player for my local team, Randwick Petersham—known as the Randy Petes—and he is a great Australian.

Can I say to Pat Cummins, the Australian cricket captain, he is a legend and a great Australian on and off the field. We contacted him to attend the dinner that was held for Narendra Modi just a few weeks ago. Pat Cummins and Steve Waugh attended that dinner and represented their nation. Pat Cummins represents his nation on and off the field with dignity and with commitment, and we are very proud of him and the entire team today.

Can I also say that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak generously sent me a congratulations message. As for his team, as I said in my message back to him, they played with courage and conviction. To declare their first innings closed with a few overs to go on the evening of day 1 showed the sort of spirit and sportsmanship which their team is certainly known for. We look forward to a great series. This has been an extraordinary beginning, and we look forward to the next four tests. We wish our team all the very best, and congratulations to them.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

DUTTON (—) (): I join the Prime Minister in celebrating what is a very, very proud day for our country. I don't want to get too excited just yet. It's only the first test. I've already had an exchange, like many Australians, with mates in the UK at the moment, so I don't want to go too hard too soon, but it was a remarkable test—as Jim Maxwell pointed out, I think, one for the ages. It was a remarkable event that took place out on that oval. The Bazball approach that the Brits have brought to their game really follows in the footsteps of what Australia has done for many, many years, and that has brought excitement back to the white-ball game.

The declaration, as the Prime Minister pointed out, set the game up for a remarkable outcome. I went to bed last night thinking it was going to be interrupted by rain and we would perhaps not see play on the fifth day. But I did wake up in the early hours of this morning and watched it until the last run was scored.

Prime Minister, I'm not sure—and I don't want to go into too much detail for the House!—about whether you were in bed or by the fireplace or where, but Kirilly was asleep beside me, so I had my phone on Fox on silent, so I couldn't—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I went downstairs to the TV!

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You went downstairs to the TV room, for the sake of all Australians! That's good to know. I don't want to give any more detail, but I will say that what it did save me from was listening to the chants of the Barmy Army. The Barmy Army have an incredible dynamic and are a great credit to the followers. It was good to see Merv Hughes and Geoff Marsh and others in the stand with their supporters as well. It was an exciting day. For the Treasurer, for the Speaker, for myself, for the Leader of the Nationals—it's a very exciting night to come as well.

We commend the Australians, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon in particular, and Usman Khawaja who set the first innings alight. He did a great job. He deserved the ton that he got. He was lucky at one stage, but he's an incredible player. They are very, very proud and are, I'm sure, celebrating very hard. We're all very proud of them.