Were you one of the hundreds of thousands of people who worked on, in, watched or visited Australia’s Parliament House between 1981 when the first sod was turned and 1988 when Her Majesty officially opened the building?
When he won the international competition to design Australia’s Parliament House in 1979, architect Aldo Giurgola famously told the world his vision was that the building would not preside over the capital as that would symbolise government imposing itself on the people.
Rather, he wanted it to nestle into the hill and symbolically rise out of the landscape just as true democracy rises from the state of things.
Thirty years after it was built, Australian Parliament House remains one of the largest buildings in the southern hemisphere with, when Parliament is in session, more than 5,000 people working inside it – to say nothing of the more than 1 million people who visit each year.
To mark the 30th anniversary, a panel of celebrated experts, will reflect on their memories of the building in a special event in the Great Hall on Saturday, 5 May, from 10.30am to midday.
Led by ABC TV’s political Insider Barrie Cassidy, the panel will feature former Cabinet ministers Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC and the Hon Dr Kay Patterson AO, veteran political journalist Michelle Grattan AO, arts advocate Robyn Archer AO and David Chandler OAM who led the building’s construction.
From 2pm, visitors will be treated to an ensemble performance by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in the Great Hall.
The building’s 30th anniversary will be officially celebrated on Wednesday 9 May at 11am on the Forecourt, with a Welcome to Country and smoking Ceremony, a multi-faith blessing , performances by the ACT Primary Concert Choir and, of course, cake.
All the birthday events are free. For more information, check the website at aph.gov.au/30th.
