On Wednesday morning, all eyes were on the Senate as the government suffered a stunning defeat on a crucial vote that will make it easier for refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru to travel to Australia for medical treatment.

But as the dust settled from the medevac bill brawl, Aboriginal people and supporters entered the Parliament House foyer to stage a protest that would bring attention to a crisis of a different kind: the climate.

About 100 people intermittently chanted and held signs that read "Water is life" and "Protect country", a group of speakers surrounded by a large, colourful circle of protesters made for an arresting sight in the middle of the foyer.

Their mission? To point out that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are on the "front lines" of the damage caused to land and water by fossil fuel extraction and global climate change.