The prime minister, Tony Abbott, has described Queen Elizabeth II as a “beacon of stability” during question time as he paid tribute to her becoming Britain’s longest serving monarch on Wednesday.
“On indulgence,” Abbott said to the Speaker of the house, Tony Smith, as he made his announcement, “today is a business-as-usual day for this parliament and today is a business-as-usual day for Her Majesty the Queen”.
“It is yet another no-fuss day for the Queen, however the milestone to be reached by the Queen in a few hours’ time is extraordinary and it should be acknowledged,” he continued.
Queen Elizabeth II will reach the record set by her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, on Wednesday evening Australian time, with the 89-year-old telling media she wanted “no fuss” to mark the day.
But Abbott would not stand for such modesty. “The Queen once declared: ‘My whole life, whether it be short or long, shall be devoted to your service’,” he said.
“Well, after 63 years, seven months and four days of service, Her Majesty the Queen today becomes the longest-serving monarch in our history. For Australia, the UK, and the rest of the Commonwealth, the Queen has been a beacon of stability for more than six decades.
“So Mr Speaker, as we mark this extraordinary milestone, the Queen’s admiration for the Australian people is returned with respect and affection.”
The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, followed Abbott to acknowledge the milestone, wishing her and “her loving and remarkable husband [Prince Philip] health and happiness in the years ahead”.
Abbott received much criticism, including from his own colleagues, when he remarkably appointed Philip as a knight of the Order of Australia in January without consulting his party.
