Old Parliament House today

Opening of Parliament House in May 1927

Old Parliament House, formerly known as the Provisional Parliament House, was the seat of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. The building was opened in 9 May 1927 as a temporary base for the Commonwealth Parliament following its relocation from Melbourne to the new capital, Canberra, until a grander building could be constructed. In 1988, the Commonwealth Parliament transferred to the new Parliament House on Capital Hill. Old Parliament House currently houses exhibitions of the National Portrait Gallery and the National Archives and serves as a venue for temporary exhibitions, lectures and concerts. Image File history File linksMetadata Old_Parliament_House_cropped. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Old_Parliament_House_cropped. ... parliamenthouse2 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... parliamenthouse2 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The main entrance to Parliament House in Canberra, with the flag mast visible. ... May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (130th in leap years). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar). ... Melbournes CBD has grown to straddle the Yarra River in three major precincts. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag Parliament House is the name given to two purpose-built buildings opened in 1988 in Canberra, the capital of Australia. ... Capital Hill (postcode: 2600) is the location of Parliament House, Canberra, at the south apex of the land axis of the Parliamentary Triangle. ... The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest. ... The National Archives of Australia is a body established by the Government of Australia for the purpose of preserving government and public records. ...

Designed by John Smith Murdoch and a team of assistants, the building was intended to be neither temporary nor permanent – only to be ‘provisional’ building that would serve as a parliament for fifty years. The design brief extended from the building to include its gardens, décor and furnishings. The building is in the ‘stripped Classical’ style, common in Australian government buildings constructed in Canberra during the 1920s and 1930s. It does not include classical architectural elements such as columns, entablatures or pediments, but does have the ordiliness and symmetry associated with neoclassical architecture. The building's design was, and is, considered a success because of the clarity of shape, regular composition, dazzling whiteness and pleasantly human scale.^[1] John Smith Murdoch, born in Glasgow, Scotland, was the chief architect for the Commonwealth of Australia from 1919, responsible for designing many government buildings in Australia. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... From the point of view of modern times, the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean sometimes seem to blend smoothly into one melange we call the Classical. ... The neoclassical movement that produced Neoclassical architecture began in the mid-18th century, both as a reaction against the Rococo style of anti-tectonic naturalistic ornament, and an outgrowth of some classicizing features of Late Baroque. ...

Location

Old Parliament House lies at the foot of Capital Hill at the centre of the Parliamentary Triangle, which itself forms of the heart of Walter Burley Griffin’s design for Canberra. Prior to the completion of New Parliament House, it formed the heart of parliamentary and executive activity in Canberra. The building faces north-east, with a long, low façade leading onto King George Terrace, and an open vista of Lake Burley Griffin, Anzac Parade, the Australian War Memorial and Mount Ainslie beyond. The Parliamentary Triangle is the ceremonial precinct of Canberra and contains the Parliament (which also houses the executive branch and the High Court of Australia. ... Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, in Sydney in 1930 Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876 - February 11, 1937) was an American architect and landscape architect best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australias capital city. ... Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag Parliament House is the name given to two purpose-built buildings in Canberra, the capital of Australia, where the Parliament of Australia has met since 1927. ... Sunset over Lake Burley Griffin, viewed from the Commonwealth Bridge Lake Burley Griffin is a lake in the centre of Canberra, Australias federal capital city. ... ANZAC Parade has many of the major national memorials in Canberra, the national capital of Australia. ... The eternal flame at the heart of the Memorial keeps the spirit of the fallen alive The Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australias national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organizations who have died in the wars of the Commonwealth of...

On either side of the building are situated the Parliamentary Gardens – one for the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively - which Murdoch intended as integral elements of the building, to provide both diversion and a space for contemplation for members and senators. The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      House of Representatives is a name used for legislative bodies in many countries. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

Façade and design elements

Old Parliament House at night

Old Parliament House is a three storey brick building with the principal floor on the middle level. Murdoch designed it to be simple and functional, and this is reflected throughout the design, extending to the interior fittings and furnishings. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 288 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 460 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Old Parliament House Canberra I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 288 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 460 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Old Parliament House Canberra I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of... A hardwood floor (parquetry) is a popular feature in many houses. ...

The façade originally incorporated a grid of recessed openings and balconies, with four bays having arched bronze windows and stepped parapets. The building’s front façade has strong horizontal lines, displaying only two stories, with higher massed elements behind the façade on either side of the centre, indicating the location of the two debating chambers, with a lower mass in the centre where King’s Hall is located. Murdoch’s stripped classical design is based on a basic square, which provides the building with a regular proportional rhythm in terms of fenestration and other elements, including the (now enclosed) verandas and colonnades.

The building was constructed from Canberra clay brick, with timber and lightweight concrete floors. It was originally rendered in white concrete, since painted, but for a pedestal of bricks left in their natural colour. The original roofs were constructed of flat concrete slabs with a membrane waterproofing and finished with a bituminous coating which was designed to be walked on. At the roofline, on either side of the main entrance, are large painted reliefs of the Royal and Commonwealth coats of arms. For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... Heraldry is the science and art of describing of coats-of-arms, also referred to as achievements or armorial bearings. ...

The interior continues the stripped-classicism of the exterior, with the use of common motifs and simple lines, in both the decor and furnishings. To reflect the federal nature of the Commonwealth of Australia, the building also makes extensive use of timbers from around Australia, with a timber native to each state being used for different purposes. The building is also designed to make good use of natural light from windows, skylights and light wells.

Layout

In keeping with its classicised forms, the building has strong symmetrical planning based around a number of major spaces. The major axis through the building, which is part of the land axis of the Walter Burley Griffin's design, runs through King's Hall, the Parliamentary Library and the dining rooms at the back. The cross-axis features the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers on either side of King's Hall. Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, in Sydney in 1930 Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876 - February 11, 1937) was an American architect and landscape architect best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australias capital city. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      House of Representatives is a name used for legislative bodies in many countries. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

Originally in an H-shape, the building now forms a large rectangle as a consequence of various extensions, with a small rear projection. The building now contains four courtyards and some light-wells. The courtyards are surrounded by colonnades at ground level and (now enclosed) verandas on the main floor.

At the centre is King’s Hall, so-named for King George V, whose statue stands in the room, which forms the heart of the building. The public nature of this relatively intimate space, says much about the small town nature of the first 50 years of Canberra’s role as national capital. Leading directly off King’s Hall are chambers for the House of Representatives (to the south-east) and the Senate (to the north-west). To rear is the Parliamentary Library (which is now occupied by the National Portrait Gallery) and behind it the dining rooms. George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      House of Representatives is a name used for legislative bodies in many countries. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest. ...

The rest of main floor of the building was given over to offices and meeting rooms. On either side of each of the Chambers are meeting rooms for the Government and Opposition, and at the end of each block were (what were originally intended to be) suites for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate. At the rear of the building were dining rooms for members and Senators and for strangers. On the basement level were service areas and some offices and on the top floor were more offices and the offices and facilities for the parliamentary press gallery. The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a countrys lower house of parliament or congress (ie: the House of Commons or House of Representatives). ... The President of the Senate is the title often given to the presiding officer, or chairman, of a senate. ...

King’s Hall

The central "King's Hall", with the two chambers on either side

From the entrance, a flight of stairs leads up to King's Hall. King’s Hall is a large square room, with an ambulatory around the outer edges. It is entered from the main central entrance and up a flight of stairs. The central space has a coffered ceiling and is lit from above by clerestory windows on all four sides. The floor is parquetry, made of jarrah and silver ash. Dominating the room is a larger than life bronze statue of King George V, monarch at the time the building was completed, but who, as Duke of Cornwall and York, also represented Queen Victoria at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901 in Sydney. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Cornwall (Cornish: ) is a county in South West England, United Kingdom, on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar and Devon. ... York is a city in North Yorkshire, England, at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ...

On eight of the columns surrounding the room are bronze reliefs of persons prominent in the formation of the Commonwealth. In the ambulatory are portraits of Australian Governors-General, Prime Ministers, Speakers and Presidents of the Senate and of events associated with the building, including the opening of the building in 1927 by the Duke of York (later King George VI) and the opening of Parliament by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954. George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...

The Chambers

The chambers of the Australian Senate and House of Representatives are large internal spaces, with ceilings rising considerably higher than that of King’s Hall. Both chambers are the same size, despite the requirement of section 24 of the Australian Constitution that the House of Representatives should have as near as possible twice the number of members as the Senate. Both are lined with timber panelling, again reflective of Murdoch’s stripped classical style, with furnishings in a similar style. The timber used in the wall panelling, the desks, seats and tables is all Australian black bean and Tasmanian blackwood. The hand-woven carpets in each chamber have a pattern of eucalyptus leaves and wattle blossom. Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (in full, An Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia) is the primary constitutional text of the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Binomial name Acacia melanoxylon F.Muell. ... natural range Species About 700; see the List of Eucalyptus species Eucalyptus (From Greek, eu + καλύπτω = True Cap) is a diverse genus of trees (and a few shrubs), the members of which dominate the tree flora of Australia. ... Wattle has several meanings: In engineering terms, originally wattle referred collectively to the flexible rods, branches or twigs from various plants woven together to make fences, walls and roofs (see wattle-and-daub). ...

The Senate chamber

The Senate is characterised by the predominance of the colour red, in both the carpet and the red leather of the seating and desks. This reflects its role as the upper house and its role as a deliberative house along the lines of the House of Lords. The seating is laid out in a horse-shoe, around a central table. Each senator had a seat and a desk, including those sitting on the front benches (i.e., ministers). At the end of the table is a desk for the Clerks and behind them a large chair for the President of the Australian Senate. Behind it are two thrones, to be used by the Monarch and his or her consort, or, in their stead, the Governor-General and his or her spouse, at official occasions such as the opening of Parliament. The furnishings follow Murdoch’s stripped classical style. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The President of the Australian Senate is the presiding officer of the Australian Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of Australia. ... Michael Jeffery, the current Governor-General of Australia The Governor-General of Australia is the representative in Australia of Australias head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, who lives in the United Kingdom. ...

The walls of the Senate are lined with blackbean timber (which is also used for the furnishings), and above this are located galleries on each side. The gallery above the throne was reserved for the press, with others used by the guests of senators, members of the House of Representatives and the general public.

The House of Representatives chamber

The House of Representatives largely corresponds, in terms of design elements, to the Senate. However, the chamber is characterised by the colour green, reflecting the historic inheritance of the Representatives, as the lower house and the house in which governments are formed, from the House of Commons. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

There are three basic differences between the House of Representatives chamber and the Senate. First, the House is more crowded with seating than the Senate, reflecting the requirement for double the number of members. Second, the front benches are long continuous benches with no desks, similar to the front benches of the House of Commons. Thirdly, the Speaker’s Chair presents a significant stylistic contrast, as it is a copy of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin's Speaker’s chair in the House of Commons, presented to the Australian Parliament by the British branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association in 1926. This chair was then copied for the replacement of the original Speaker’s Chair in the House of Commons, destroyed in an air raid in the Second World War, which was a gift of the Australian Parliament to the House of Commons. The Royal Coat of Arms over the Chair is carved in oak from timber originally built into Westminster Hall in 1399. The hinged flaps of the arm rests are of oak from Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, in the Battle of Trafalgar 1805. The Chair symbolises the Australian Parliament's links with British history and the Parliament at Westminster. Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (March 1, 1812 - September 14, 1852) was an English-born architect, designer and theorist of design now best remembered for his work on churches and on the Houses of Parliament. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... In the United Kingdom, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, and is seen historically as the First Commoner of the Land. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... Clock Tower and New Palace Yard from the west The Palace of Westminster, on the banks of the River Thames in Westminster, London, is the home of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which form the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, KB (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was an English admiral famous for his participation in the Napoleonic Wars, most notably in the Battle of Trafalgar, where he lost his life. ... HMS Victory is a 104-gun ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built between 1759 and 1765. ... Combatants United Kingdom First French Empire Kingdom of Spain Commanders Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson † Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve Strength 27 ships of the line France: 18 ships of the line and 8 others. ... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ...

Interiors

A clock. See the Parliament House, Canberra article for description

The Murdoch designed interiors remain in substantial areas of the building, sometimes with their original furnishings. The three best preserved interiors, other than King’s Hall and the Chambers, are the Government party room (on the House of Representatives side), the Senate Club Room (also called the Senate Opposition Party Room and the Clerk of the Senate’s office (which was originally the President of the Senate’s office). All retain their original fittings and furnishings, designed by Murdoch and his team in accordance with the stripped classical design scheme. These are characterised by simple forms, based on Murdoch's square motif. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag Parliament House is the name given to two purpose-built buildings opened in 1988 in Canberra, the capital of Australia. ...

The original building was small, and did not provide offices for all members. To an extent this was to be mitigated by ministers having offices in their own departments, originally in the East and West Blocks (also designed by Murdoch). For this reason, the party rooms are not just meeting rooms but contain private phone booths, washbasins, desks and small areas for more intimate discussions.

Gardens

Old Parliament House Gardens, May 2007.

The Parliamentary Gardens were designed as an extension of the building, retaining a formality in keeping with it. Originally, the rear courtyards of the building were open to the gardens through a colonnade, Murdoch’s intention being that members and Senators should be able to use the gardens as an integral part of the building. Late this intention was lost, as extensions were added to the back part of the building to provide more offices. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

They are enclosed by hedges and were planted with trees. In both cases they were divided into four quadrants, with two being taken up by rose gardens and the remaining two by recreational facilities. On the Senate side these are tennis courts and a cricket pitch and on the Representatives' side, they are tennis courts and a bowling/croquet green. In the 1970s much of the Representatives' gardens were covered by an extension to the building, but this has now been removed and the gardens restored.

The rose gardens contain a wide variety of specimens, including many old roses and roses donated by prominent Australians and overseas bodies and individuals. Much of the inspiration (and organisation) for this came from the Usher of the Black Rod and later Clerk of the Senate, Robert Broinowski, and the gardens were laid out by Rex Hazlewood. They also played key roles in the development of the National Rose Gardens on the other side of King George Terrace. The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, generally shortened to just Black Rod, is an official of a figure in the parliaments of a number of Commonwealth countries. ...

Extensions

Old Parliament House was only intended to be ‘provisional’ and so office space was not provided for all members. This shortage of space was compounded by the decision of Prime Minister James Scullin to move his principal office from the West Block to the building in 1930. This eventually resulted in all ministers, with their individual staffs, being accommodated in the building over time, compounding in the office space problem. A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... James Henry Scullin (September 18, 1876–January 28, 1953), Australian politician and ninth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in the small town of Trawalla, in western Victoria, the son of a railway worker of Irish Catholic descent. ...

The first extensions were made to the rear of the building in 1947 to provide more office space for members. Some further extensions were constructed in 1964. In the 1970s large extensions were added to both sides of the building and the south-west corner. The front façade was extended in a sympathetic fashion to match Murdoch’s design. On the Representatives side, larger extensions were required, and a substantial part of the gardens were built over and linked to the main building by a bridge.

The interiors of the 1972-3 extensions reflect fashions of the time, although wooden panelling was used for the walls, in keeping with the older parts of the building, but in an unequivocally 1970s style. On the Representatives side, the extensions necessitated the demolition of the Prime Minister's suite of offices (originally intended for the Speaker) and the original Cabinet Room. The rooms are now left in the condition they were in at the time they were occupied by Bob Hawke, immediately prior to the move to New Parliament House in May 1988. Similar extensions were made on the Senate side, with a new suite of rooms being constructed for the President of the Senate in a similar style. A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... It has been suggested that Speakers of the House be merged into this article or section. ... A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... Robert James Lee Bob Hawke AC (born 9 December 1929) is a former Australian trade union leader turned politician who became the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia. ... Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag Parliament House is the name given to two purpose-built buildings in Canberra, the capital of Australia, where the Parliament of Australia has met since 1927. ... The President of the Senate is the title often given to the presiding officer, or chairman, of a senate. ...

History

Old Parliament House was commenced in April 1923 and completed in early 1927. It was built by the Commonwealth Department of Works, using tradesmen and materials from all over Australia. The final cost was about six hundred thousand pounds, which was more than three times the original estimate.

In 1923, Canberra was a small, spread out town with few facilities and no administrative or parliamentary functions. The building of old Parliament House effectively doubled the town's (very small) population. The workers required for the project and their families were housed in camps and settlements and endured Canberra's harsh weather conditions. Once Parliament commenced sitting in Canberra the transfer of Commonwealth public servants from Melbourne required the construction of suitable housing in the areas of Ainslie, Civic, Forrest (formerly called Blandfordia), Griffith and Kingston. For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

The building was opened on 9 May 1927 by the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother). The opening ceremonies were both splendid and incongruous, given sparsely built nature of Canberra of the time and its small population. The building was extensively decorated with British Empire and Australian flags and bunting (similar schemes were used at later events, most notably in 1954 when Queen Elizabeth II visited Canberra for the first time and opened Parliament). Temporary stands were erected bordering the lawns in front of the Parliament and these were filled with eager crowds. A Wiradjuri elder, Jimmy Clements, was one of only two Indigenous Australians present, having walked for about a week from Brungle Station (near Tumut) to be at the event. Dame Nellie Melba sang the national anthem. The Duke of York unlocked the front doors with a golden key, and led the official party into King’s Hall where he unveiled the statue of his father, King George V. The Duke then opened the first parliamentary session in the new Senate Chamber. George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite; 4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002), was the Queen Consort of George VI from 1936 until his death in 1952. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... The Wiradjuri (many other spellings; see below) are an Indigenous Australian group of central New South Wales. ... Tumut is a town and council area in New South Wales, Australia, roughly 4 hours south-west of Sydney. ... Dame Nelly Melba in role of Rosina from the Barber of Seville Dame Nellie Melba (May 19, 1861 - February 23, 1931), born Helen Porter Mitchell, was an Australian opera soprano, the first Australian to achieve international recognition in the form. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ...

John Curtin and Ben Chifley, former Prime Ministers, both lay in state in King’s Hall after their deaths in 1945 and 1951 respectively. In November 1975, David Smith, Official Secretary of the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, read a proclamation announcing the dismissal of the Whitlam Government from the front steps and afterwards, Gough Whitlam made his famous remarks. John Curtin (8 January 1885 – 5 July 1945), Australian politician and 14th Prime Minister of Australia, led Australia when the Australian mainland came under direct military threat during the Japanese advance in World War II. Many Australians regard him as the countrys greatest political leader and greatest Prime Minister. ... Joseph Benedict Chifley (22 September 1885 – 13 June 1951), Australian politician and 16th Prime Minister of Australia, was one of Australias most influential Prime Ministers. ... David Smith may be: Athlete: David Smith (wrestler) (1962–2002), aka The British Bulldog, professional wrestler David Smith (Australian cricketer) David Smith (footballer) David Smith (England and Gloucestershire cricketer) David Smith (England, Surrey, Sussex and Worcestershire cricketer) David Smith (curler), world champion curler Politician or jurist: David Paul Smith, (b. ... Governor-General (or Governor General) is a term used both historically and currently to designate the appointed representative of a head of state or their government for a particular territory, historically in a colonial context, but no longer necessarily in that form. ... Sir John Kerr Alternative meanings: John Kerr (disambiguation). ... Hon Gough Whitlam Edward Gough Whitlam (born July 11, 1916), Australian politician and 21st Prime Minister of Australia, was the only Australian Prime Minister to be dismissed by the Governor-General. ... Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC (born 11 July 1916), known as Gough Whitlam (, pronounced Goff), Australian politician and 21st Prime Minister of Australia. ...

By the 1980s Old Parliament House had reached, and exceeded, its capacity and was in need of considerable repair and renovation. For this reason, in the late 1970s Malcolm Fraser's Government committed to the building of new Parliament House. After the opening of new Parliament House by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 May 1988, old Parliament House was left vacant for several years. This article is about the former Prime Minister of Australia; for the Western Australian public servant, see Malcolm Fraser (surveyor). ... Parliament House Canberra: The main entrance and the flag Parliament House is the name given to two purpose-built buildings in Canberra, the capital of Australia, where the Parliament of Australia has met since 1927. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...

After Parliament moved to the new building, there was a debate on whether to demolish the Old Parliament House. In the 1920s it had been argued by some, including Walter Burley Griffin, that the building’s position would interfere with the vista of a permanent Parliament House. Burley Griffin had likened the placement of the Old Parliament House to ‘filling the front yard with outhouses’ as the building would interfere with the land axis from Mount Ainslie to Capital Hill. Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, in Sydney in 1930 Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876 - February 11, 1937) was an American architect and landscape architect best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australias capital city. ... Mount Ainslie or Mount Ainslie-Majura is a part of Canberra Nature Park. ... Categories: Suburbs of Canberra (incomplete) | Suburbs of Canberra ...

The building’s historic significance in the history of twentieth century Australia mean that the Australian Government decided that it should remain. But, it remained unclear what its future purpose would be. In the end it was decided that the most suitable use for Old Parliament House would be to make it a ‘living museum of political history.’

The building was re-opened in December 1992. It is run as a museum. It is now managed solely by the Department of Communications and the Arts and is progressively being conserved and refurbished to display and record Australia's constitutional, political and cultural history.

The National Portrait Gallery, the Australian Archives and the National Film and Sound Archive currently use various spaces in the building for exhibitions, although the National Portrait Gallery will soon move to new premises, which are presently being constructed near the High Court of Australia on King Edward Terrace. The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest. ... The Australian National Film and Sound Archive preserves and shares Australias moving images and sound recordings from the countrys first film images to the modern classics. ... High Court entrance The High Court of Australia is the final court of appeal in Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. ...

References

1. ^ Apperly, Richard; Robert Irving, Peter Reynolds (1989). A pictorial guide to identifying Australian architecture, Paperback, 1994, Sydney, Australia: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-207-18562-X. 

1. ^ Charlton, Ken; Rodney Garnett, Shibu Dutta (2001). Federal Capital Architecture Canberra 1911-1939, 2nd Edition, Paperback, 2001, Canberra, Australia: National Trust Of Australia (ACT). ISBN 0-9578541-0-2. 

1. ^ Metcalf, Andrew (2003). Canberra Architecture, 1st Edition, Paperback, 2003, Sydney, Australia: The Watermark Press. ISBN 0-949284-63-7. 

External links

• Old Parliament House
• The Parliament of Australia
• National Trust of Australia (ACT)
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: -35.302097° 149.12992°
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