The atmosphere was speech day at a minor Christian college as Tony Abbott handed out prizes for most "indefatigable" (the member for Swan, Steve Irons); "outstanding" (the member for Macquarie, Louise Markus); and a new award - "first indigenous" - won by the member for Hasluck, Ken Wyatt.

By a clear margin, the Wyatts stole the applause. Death Stare was all smiles. Bygones were bygones. Peter Dutton, Sophie Mirabella, Alby Schultz and Don Randall, who all walked out of the Reps during the apology, joined the warm applause. So did Eric Abetz.

There is history here. The Tasmanian hardliner is the last survivor in Parliament of a cohort of scaremongers who, a dozen years ago, claimed the nation's backyards were not safe from native title claims. They held to this despite a famous one-line letter signed by dozens of Australia's leading lawyers: "To suggest that native title can possibly attach to freehold land is simply a lie."

Who's who and Wyatts what of new kids on block