The proposal for a new, national capital was agreed when it became obvious that parliamentarians of the two major State capitals, Sydney and Melbourne, who were both vying for Federal status, would not yield their claims. The city was designed by a brilliant young Chicago architect, Walter Burley Griffin. Today Canberra stands much as he planned it. The largest shopping complexes are Monaro Mall, Woden Shopping Square and Belconnen Mall. There are other extensive centres in the City and each suburb has its own smaller shopping centre.
Overseas visitors discover good buys for opals and pure wood goods in Canberra.
Retail fruit and vegetable markets open from Thursday to Sunday. More than 200 restaurants offering a remarkable variety of cuisines are scattered through Canberra and it suburbs. The Commonwealth of Australia is a fully independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations. These officials are appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the Australian government. In 1993, however, the Labor government proposed making Australia a republic, severing its ties to the British crown by the year 2001.