Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tomorrow marks the centenary of the launch of the competition to design the national capital city of Australia. On 24 May 1911 the Minister for Home Affairs, King O'Malley, announced an international competition for the design. In 1899 the colonial premiers had decided that the permanent capital would be in New South Wales, not less than 100 miles from Sydney, and a congress was held in Melbourne four months after Federation in 1901 on the planning of a capital. Dalgety was first chosen as the site of the future capital in 1904, but four years later the Canberra-Yass region was selected as a replacement. The selected site for the Australian Capital Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia in January 1911.

Half a world away in Chicago, two architects, whose names subsequently would come to be associated with Australia forever, had married. Walter Burley Griffin qualified as an architect in 1901, subsequently working with Frank Lloyd Wright and conducting his practice when Wright went to Japan, before starting his own practice. Marion Lucy Mahony, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had also been employed in Wright's office, and later by Hermann von Hoist when Wright eloped to Europe in 1909. They were major proponents of the 'prairie' school of architecture:

I am what may be termed a naturalist in architecture … I believe in architecture that is the logical outgrowth of the environment in which the building in mind is to be located.

It was while the Griffins were on their honeymoon that they learnt of the competition. According to a report in the New York Times of 2 June 1912, after the announcement that Griffin had won the competition and the $8,750 prize:

Mr Griffin spent two months in work upon his plans, and finally submitted thirteen drawings, five feet by thirty inches in diameter. These included a lay-out of the central district of the city, a general plan of the city and its environs, long sections through the city in two-directions, and a prospective bird's eye view of the city from Mount Ainslie.

Marion Mahony's impressive drawings and renderings of the plan no doubt helped the judges to select the Americans from the 137 entries in the competition, despite neither having ever visited Australia. Speaking after the announcement in 1912, Griffin said:

I have planned a city not like any other city in the world. I have planned it not in a way that I expected any governmental authorities in the world would accept. I have planned an ideal city—a city that meets my ideal of the city of the future.

With unknowing prescience Griffin added:

"I do not know to what extent my plan will be carried out. The Australian authorities may merely adopt my ground plan and fill in the architectural details to suit themselves. However, if my plan is carried out in all its details, I think the Australian capital will be the most beautiful city in history.

"I do not know whether I shall be called to Australia to superintend the construction of the new city. I hope so. I rather expect I shall. It would be only fair to me. There is nobody in the world who can work out my ideas like myself.

Technical problems with the transmission of sound having occurred—

Sitting suspended from 18:32 to 18:34

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Main Committee will resume. The member for Menzies had the call, and his speech as he has delivered it to this point has been entered from his notes into Hansard.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. History records that the Griffins did come to Canberra to supervise the plan, but they had a rocky relationship with bureaucrats, eventually resulting in Walter being removed as director of construction by the Hughes government in 1921. He subsequently left Australia for India in 1935, having designed the towns of Leeton and Griffith and residential developments at Castlecrag in Sydney and at Eaglemont in Melbourne, as well as a series of notable buildings including Melbourne's Capitol Theatre and Newman College at the University of Melbourne.

The main features that were in the plan can be observed in Canberra today. But, as Professor David Dolan observes, the Griffin 'vision is grossly diluted and adulterated' and was 'ruthlessly compromised'. Indeed, the only fully completed structure that Griffin designed is the grave of the WWI general Sir William Bridges, at the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

It is appropriate that the Australian parliament recognises and celebrates the centenary of the city which was designed as its home and which in the decades since has become a thriving, modern symbol of Australia, a location for government, culture and commerce and a home for hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens. I commend the motion to the House.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Menzies for his delivery during that slightly disrupted period.

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure as the member for Canberra to speak on this motion, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the member for Menzies for putting it forward, particularly given the influence that former Prime Minister Menzies had on this city. One of the frustrations of being a Canberran is the derision which our city draws from many Australians. I know that the winters can be bitter, and today is probably not the finest example of our climate, but we do have great summers, great springs and great autumns and our famous blue sky through most of the seasons. I am most grateful to the member for Menzies for celebrating the city of Canberra, its place as our national capital and the role played by the Griffin-Mahony legacy.

As the member for Canberra, I have always been a bit baffled about why this city does not generate the same awe as that other national capital, Washington. After all, in the US, a career in the government in Washington is highly coveted, and a life in Washington is also highly coveted. It is a constant disappointment to all Canberrans that Australians do not connect with their national capital as Americans do with theirs, which is why this motion from a non-Canberran is so welcome.

Canberra is my home and my community and, more than that, it is the heart of this nation's democracy and the city that was built by a federated nation. Without Canberra there would be no Australia. To borrow the words of Sir Henry Parkes, the crimson thread of kinship runs through us all. Those threads are drawn together in this city. They run from every corner of this nation, and the knot that binds them is this House. For this reason, Canberra's centenary in 2013 is not just a celebration for Canberrans but a celebration for the entire nation. It is a celebration of the history and the unity of Australia, a history and unity forged by common good, not war—and it is a history that we are still discovering. Just today the Minister for Justice unveiled a recently discovered design drawing from the capital competition, which was a wonderful and timely find. However, the centenary of Canberra is also an opportunity to reflect on how the city has grown beyond the drawings of the Griffin-Mahony design. But before I do that I want to dwell on the Griffin-Mahony vision for the city and the nation's capital. It speaks of ideals as much about the social fabric of Australia as the built environment. In doing so I draw heavily on the work of Dr David Headon, who has studied and written extensively on Canberra and the national capital.

Walter Burley Griffin enthusiastically responded to Australia's new and unique democracy, a democracy heavily imprinted by the Enlightenment and regarded as a progressive social experiment. Griffin was also deeply influenced by the democratic and naturalistic architecture that was flourishing in Chicago, particularly through the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. You can see many of these influences in the designs of the early Canberra houses. Griffin felt that Australia was well placed to learn from the errors of the Old World. He wrote that he planned 'an ideal city, a city that meets my ideal of a city of the future and a nature and liberty-loving people'. He wanted simplicity, comfort and egalitarianism in architecture and a national capital that would reflect that.

I do not think anything better exemplifies this Canberra approach to life, this nature and liberty-loving people than the rose gardens at Old Parliament House. I did a tour of these gardens many years ago and was delighted to learn that Robert Broinowski, who was secretary of the Joint House Department there, relied on rose donors to establish the gardens. Donors included the British City Council, Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company, the North Sydney Council, the NRMA and in 1933 the touring English cricket team. But the donations were not confined to organisations and companies. Individuals also donated clippings and Old Parliament House workers donated one shilling and fourpence to buy a rose and join an illustrious group. The donors are acknowledged to this day on storyboards down there.

Canberra is no longer merely a town planner's concept, it has become a living, breathing and evolving community of more than 300,000 people. It is a city that owes its evolution to the Griffin-Mahony legacy but it has evolved from the influence of many people, from King O'Malley, from members of this parliament, from people in the legislative assembly. Most Canberrans are looking forward to celebrating our centenary and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Gillard government for providing $6 million for the program. In closing, I reflect on Griffin's words:

Australia of most democratic tendencies and bold radical government may well be expected to look upon her great future and with it her Federal Capital with characteristic big vision, for which her capital offers the best opportunity so far.

That is very much an ideal and vision to celebrate in 2013.

Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 12 March 1913 the wife of the then Governor-General of Australia, Lady Denman, announced that the new capital would be called Canberra. With just two years to go before the 100th anniversary of the foundation of our national capital, it is right that we should now mark the significance of some of the key dates that were involved with the establishment of the capital. As the Deputy Chair of the Joint Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, I am very pleased to join and second, with the member for Menzies, the Hon. Kevin Andrews, this motion, which highlights the great importance and significance of the international competition to design the Australian capital, the winning design, the winning architects, and as part of this motion to call upon the National Capital Authority to work with the parliament to arrange an appropriate commemoration. Tomorrow, 24 May 2011, marks the 100th anniversary of the launch of the design competition that began the journey towards the establishment of our truly unique and magnificent capital city of our country.

When you look at the development of our state capitals and other major cities, there was always the potential that the national capital would in some way replicate some aspects of either Sydney or Melbourne, the dominant cities at the time. Yet the vision to have such a design competition really did ensure that a unique capital would be created. In May 1912 the winner of the competition was announced as Walter Burley Griffin, an architect who worked with his wife, Marion Mahony Griffin, to create the design and fundamentally influence the city's design and future. So when you look at the winning design, although it is not exactly the way the city subsequently developed, it is absolutely true to say that the major aspects of the city are evident in the Griffin design. As someone who has lived in this city for over six years of my life, thanks to the Army and the Federal Police before that, I can say that I do appreciate the beauty and functionality of Canberra, and this city that serves our nation well is highly appropriate. Although I am rarely in Canberra these days, apart from being here in Parliament House, when I speak of those places that visitors should come and see, I appreciate the beautiful parts of the city. I think of the lake that bears Griffin's name and I think of the layout of the streets and the monuments and the views that were evident as part of the original design. These are the aspects I recall most fondly, and they are the things that we owe to Griffin. What he planned for the capital and what was achieved are the parts of Canberra that I see as the key parts, and many people share my view. I know that many Australians that have not lived in Canberra or visited Canberra can be dismissive of the capital. However, when they do come here, one thing they will always take home with them and appreciate is the parts of the city that Griffin was responsible for.

It is true to say that there was friction between Griffin and the government after the competition had been won. At the time that the implementation of the design was being attempted, the government was obviously focusing on the First World War. As I said before, there are aspects of the plan that were compromised. The key elements and the fundamental design that was implemented nevertheless reflects the tenets of his work. When you look at the final drawings, you see the east, the west and the central basins of the lake itself, which took until 1964 to be completed. The design of many of the roads and the layout of the city are evident. There is no doubt that this city, this capital, is fundamentally the work of its maker, its designer, and we should pay tribute to Walter Burley Griffin for what he achieved. It is somewhat tragic that it took until 1964, when Prime Minister Menzies decided to name the lake after Walter Burley Griffin, before he actually got some credit for the work that he did. Certainly he has became more appreciated with the establishment in 1988 of the Walter Burley Griffin Society.

Given the influence and the importance of the architectural competition and given the fact that we are now moving quickly towards the centenary of Canberra, it seems right and appropriate that as part of that celebration we properly reflect the contribution that Griffin made and the importance of that architectural competition. With the CAPITheticAL design competition that is being undertaken as part of the 100th birthday celebrations for Canberra, it does seem like an appropriate opportunity and location to make a contribution and to commemorate Griffin and the original competition.

Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When Canberra turns on its charm and offers that perfect day—the sun shines, the water glistens and the temperature is neither too cold nor too hot—it is easy to see how this city charmed the federal parliamentarians who visited in 1906 and 1907 on their tour of potential sites for the new nation's capital. Originally Canberra was not the preferred location of either the media or the politicians. But for the perfect Canberra day on 13 August 1906 and then again on 23 August 1907, the parochial interests of a Premier and the change of heart invoked by a Victorian senator, our nation's capital could have been somewhere entirely different.

On 23 May 1912, entry No. 29 by Walter Burley Griffin, a landscape architect from Chicago, Illinois, was declared the winner of the competition to design Australia's new federal capital. Walter Burley Griffin heard about the Australian government's competition to design the national capital while on honeymoon with his wife, Marion, in 1911. Although it was Walter's name that headed the entry, theirs was very much a collaborative effort. Without Marion's elegant drawings, it is unlikely that Walter's design would have grabbed the judges and lifted it above the 136 other entries in the competition. The winning design incorporated leading international ideas of the day in the science of town planning, such as the 'city beautiful' and 'garden city' movements. Yet, for the city to flourish, Griffin believed it also needed a community with 'great democratic civic ideals'. He wanted Australia's capital to be a place where citizens enjoyed a high quality of life based on 'egalitarian legislation, genuine public spirit and organic, scientific cities'. The 13th March 2013 marks the Centenary of Canberra. The Australian government recognises the national importance of the Centenary of Canberra as the national capital. We have been working closely with the ACT government to develop a program of events in the lead-up to and in the centenary year. The Australian and ACT governments have established an intergovernmental working group under an agreement signed in December 2008.

Along with the support of the Centenary of Canberra creative director, Robyn Archer, the working group have identified centenary national program activities, activities that have national reach and engage communities right around Australia, not just residents of the ACT. For example, the draft program includes the construction of the Canberra Centenary Walking and Cycling Trail. The trail will guide walkers and cyclists through urban and nearby rural areas, incorporating a variety of iconic and lesser known locations that tell the story of Canberra. The idea for the trail was raised from community submissions received as part of the Canberra 100 call for centenary projects. Taking in existing fire and walking trails, it will merge with new ones. It will start here at Parliament House and loop around the ACT through locations including Anzac Parade, the Australian War Memorial, Lake Burley Griffin, Mount Ainslie, Mount Taylor, Red Hill, the National Arboretum, Stromlo Forest Park and Mulligans Flat Sanctuary. A result of the partnership between the Australian government and the ACT community, the Centenary Trail will be a gift to Canberra and visitors to our city for years to come.

The Australian government's commitment to the Centenary of Canberra is evidenced by the recent announcement in its 2011-12 budget of $6 million over three years as a contribution to the centenary national program. The Australian and ACT governments are keen to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure the success of this activity and the entire national program. The final size and shape of the program is currently being negotiated with the ACT.

Our national capital is a source of pride for all Australians. The Centenary of Canberra is a unique opportunity to celebrate this historic moment and for the Australian government to continue its conversation with the Australian people about the kind of nation we want over the next 100 years. As the federal member for Fraser and father of two young boys who proudly call Canberra home, I welcome the positive attention being paid to this city by the member for Menzies. I would also encourage the opposition to support the initiatives being put in place by the Australian government to celebrate the Centenary of Canberra, such as the Centenary Trail and new investments in the National Arboretum. I know they will join other national institutions in enriching the lives of the city and the nation.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for the debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.