Parliament House, Canberra

Well we are in Canberra now, a city that has wonderful wide streets, vistas of important buildings, architecture and memorials, and Lake Burley Griffin in the centre.  A planned city.  The trees have also grown so it is also a very green city.   Almost rivals Paris with its attention to detail, spaciousness, over sized monuments and meticulous planning.    But that is where it ends.    Unlike Paris, Canberra has no old history, no soul, no heart, and no character.    It is also full of public servants and embassy personnel.    A bureaucratic city! 

But it has a most impressive parliament building on Capital Hill.    The approach to this building is breathtaking.    Parliament House, finally opened in 1988, is set into a hill behind the old Parliament House, with a wide strip of grass and road, called Federation Mall, between the two buildings.    As you approach the building by car (too far to walk),  the white building rises out of the hill.

The new Parliament House, is an architectural wonder.   And with a cost to match no doubt.

The curved walls are made of granite, and the stairs and many other features are marble with native wood covering the floors.   95% of the natural materials are Australian.   The theme throughout the grounds and building is land, starting with the Aboriginal mosaic in the front, and then linking it to the arrival of Europeans to the land, within the building materials and pictures in the building.

The marble pillars in the main hall represent eucalyptus trees.  

The building contains a Great Hall, which can be used by the outside community for functions.   The Senate and the House of Representatives chambers are at opposing sides of the building.   All the chambers, halls and corridors are enormous.     The picture below shows the House of Representatives Chamber.    The colour in the Senate Chamber is pink rather than red.

The painting by Australian artist, Arthur Boyd, has been used to make the huge tapestry for the Great Hall.

Walter standing on the roof of the building!

Looking down Federation Mall towards the old Parliament House and the War Memorial in the distance.

While we were there Wayne Swan, the Treasurer, delivered the six monthly review of the budget.   We watched it on a television screen, as Wayne Swan was securely hidden behind locked doors, somewhere in the depths of Parliament House.

The budget looks reasonable, on the surface anyway.    He maintains that Australia is in better shape than most other developed countries.    I hope he is right!