24 Hours in Canberra (and a close encounter with Team Assange!)

Canberra in winter is freezing but we were on fire. A group of us were on a lightning visit to bear witness to Steph Hodgins-May's maiden speech to Parliament. Steph has stepped up into the place formerly held by Greens Senator Janet Rice who retired after a decade's service to her country. Little did we know that our visit would coincide with the return of Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange to the nation's capital.

It was coincidence that totally overshadowed this important moment for the new Senator. Steph is a young mother of two children who sat nearby in the public gallery. When she heard her mummy begin her speech, young Vivienne threatened to disrupt the entire proceedings. Named after Steph's mother who died in the Samoan tsunami of 2009, the little one was soon soothed by Anne E. Stewart who later dated Steph's dad, Roy May, before he too died in a senseless motorbike accident.

Roy was an organic farmer in regional Victoria whom Steph credited for the roots of her advocacy for nature and her love of community. She also praised her partner Ogy, son of a Bosnian refugee who fled war in her homeland to find peace in Elwood with her new family. There was so much love in the house, or should I say, Senate. And also at drinks in a local bar afterwards.

It wasn't long before I got wind of a press conference being held at a hotel nearby with members of Team Assange. Julian had just touched down and supporters and press were gathering to hear from his wife Stella and his legal team. We high tailed it across town to join them.

East Hotel in Kingston was under heavy occupation but we managed to slip into the crammed foyer where I immediately clapped eyes on John Shipton, Julian's father. I had interviewed him on Roadtrip a year or so ago and gave him a big hug. Then my journo instincts kicked in and I asked him if I could have a few words on the record.

"I feel like learning to do cartwheels all over again," he said. "At 79 it might be some sort of achievement equal to returning Julian home."

Later that night I sent the grab through to my friend at ABC Sydney and she played it twice on her Breakfast show the next morning.

We were invited to attend another less chaotic press conference the following day held at Parliament House. It was touch and go waiting for access in the foyer but I when saw the very fabulous former Senator Scott Ludlam, who had worked so hard on the Assange case, I rushed over and asked him if he could get us in.

Phone calls were made, people were activated and we made our way through the next round of security up to the Mural Hall. Before too long, lawyer Jennifer Robinsons and her US co-counsel Barry Pollock emerged with Ludlam and Senators Shoebridge, Zoe Daniel, Murray Watt, Peter Wish-Wilson and Stella Assange. Cameras zoomed in and I also recorded the event for posterity. You can see it on Nellevision.

When in Canberra it's rude not to take in the latest collections so we headed across to the National Gallery of Australia to see Vincent Namitjira's exhibition 'Australia In Colour' featuring the now-infamous portrait of mining magnate Gina Reinhardt. It's one of 21 paintings of legendary Australians including his great grandfather Albert, Adam Goodes and Angus Young alongside Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Julia Gillard, King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II.

Also on display is a pop-up story book collaboration with one of my favourite artists Tony Albert depicting Princess Di and her hubby on their 1983 Australian tour feeding steaks to dingoes and witchetty grubs to a baby (is it William? Azaria?). I had dinner with the royal couple at The Lodge during this trip and Di seemed particularly miserable when we eventually shook hands.

I also met the Prince now King Charles who features along with his mother in many of Namitjira's paintings and collages. Vincent places self-portraits in these works to lay sovereign claim to the landscapes in which the Royals appear - his land, Indulkana in the Anangu, Pitjantjajara Yankunytjatjara lands.

Our Government in Canberra comes under the British Crown and still doesn't recognise Aboriginal people in its constitution. Walking the halls of power suits in Parliament made me super aware of this gross oversight. While we have Steph in the Senate and Julian Assange back on home soil, First Nations Australians need justice too, starting with a Truth Telling about our past.