Legislative Assembly Building, Australian Capital Territory, Parliament building in Civic Square, Canberra, Australia.
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.
Designed in 1959–1961 by Roy Simpson of Yuncken Freeman for the National Capital Development Commission, the building opened as the Civic Offices, housing the ACT Advisory Council, the ACT Industrial Court and the Department of the Interior. The Assembly first met in 1989 in a temporary chamber at 1 Constitution Avenue, and only moved into this refurbished building in 1994.
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.
Public access to the Assembly is through the entrance on the eastern side of the building, off Civic Square next to the Canberra Theatre Centre. Interior access is limited, so visitors should not count on touring the chamber or sitting in public galleries; the exterior, including the ACT Coat of Arms above the entrance, can be viewed from the square.
The ACT Coat of Arms above the public entrance was designed by Lenore Bass, wife of sculptor Tom Bass, whose "Ethos" stands in Civic Square, and was unveiled in September 1961. The building was originally called the Civic Offices, housing the ACT Advisory Council, the ACT Industrial Court and the Department of the Interior.
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