Parliament House, Darwin facts for kids

Parliament House in Darwin

Parliament House in Darwin, Northern Territory, is the newest Parliament Building in Australia. It is where the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly has met since 1994. This important building is located on State Square, right in the middle of Darwin. This area is also the main place for the Northern Territory's laws and government.

Parliament House has a special design called Postmodern architecture. It was designed by an architect named Tim Rogers. The building also holds the Northern Territory Library, which is a great place for books and information.

Building History

The construction of Parliament House started in 1990. It took four years to build, and it was finished in 1994. The Governor-General of Australia, Bill Hayden, officially opened the building on 18 August 1994. The Governor-General is like a representative of the King or Queen in Australia.

Before this new Parliament House was built, the government of the Northern Territory met in different places. The first group, called the Northern Territory Legislative Council, started in 1948. They used various temporary buildings around Darwin.

Later, after 1974, the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly took over. They continued to meet in buildings on the same spot where Parliament House is now. These older buildings were taken down in 1990 to make way for the new Parliament House. While the new building was being constructed, from 1990 to 1994, the Assembly met temporarily in another building called the Chan Building.

What Happens Here

Parliament House is the main place where the laws for the Northern Territory are made. The Northern Territory Legislative Assembly is a group of elected people who represent the citizens. They meet here to discuss important issues, create new laws, and make decisions for the people of the Northern Territory. It's a very important building for how the government works in this part of Australia.

Images for kids

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  Parliament House in Darwin