Legislative Assembly Building, Australian Capital Territory

The Legislative Assembly Building is the parliament house of the Australian Capital Territory in Canberra, housing the 25 elected members of the territorial legislature. The building serves as the seat for lawmaking and administration of territorial affairs.

The building was constructed in 1961 as a place for local administration when the Australian government needed a seat for territorial governance. Its importance grew in 1989 when the territory gained self-government and the building became home to the newly formed Legislative Assembly.

The building represents local self-governance for the Australian Capital Territory, where elected representatives make decisions that affect residents. Visitors can observe how this institution shapes the region and how people engage with their government in practice.

Visitors can watch debates in the main chamber during regular sitting weeks and use the public galleries to observe. It helps to check sitting days in advance to make sure the assembly is in session when you plan to visit.

Unlike other Australian parliaments, the Legislative Assembly operates without a vice-regal representative of the Crown. This makes it one of the few genuinely direct democratic legislatures in Australia without the British vice-regal system.