Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01869:reg:4:p55
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01869
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 55/63)
Character Range: 494556–497275

to erect a permanent Parliament House led to a major extension on the House of Representatives side of the provisional building. As there were approximately twice the number of members as there were senators, accommodation was in much shorter supply on the Representatives than on the Senate side, notwithstanding the fact that some 20 members occupied offices on the latter. Erected in 1965, the new extension stood east of the 1943 wing and, with it, totally enclosed another smaller garden area which simultaneously acted as a lightwell. The extension added another 70 rooms to the building, bringing the number up to a total of 520. With the addition of these rooms, all members could now be accommodated on the House of Representatives side of Provisional Parliament House. As well, one minister was housed on this side, probably in the original part of building, and by 1968 the number of ministers accommodated on this side had risen to three. One highly significant feature of the 1965 extension was that the building now became for the first time an asymmetrical structure. As such, it created a simple expedient for further extending the building at the expense of making an early decision on the erection of a permanent Parliament House. This expedient was to restore the symmetry of the structure by adding a corresponding extension to the Senate side of the building. The year 1965 also saw the erection of an additional sporting amenity for parliamentarians in the shape of two squash courts which were built adjacent to the tennis courts. The provision of these courts was a small indication perhaps that members and senators expected to remain in residence at the provisional building for some time to come yet.68

  Changes of the 1970s and 1980s

  In August 1967, the President of the Senate, Sir Alistair McMullin approached Prime Minister Menzies in regard to the accommodation difficulties on the Senate side of Provisional Parliament House and the additional space he needed to overcome them. With similar representations coming from the Speaker of the House, the matter was referred to the Department of Works and to the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC). In March 1968, the NCDC presented a report outlining seven options for adding further office accommodation to Provisional Parliament House. After a delay of nearly two years, a selection was made of one of the options and in the latter half of 1970, tenders were called for the erection of the additions. The choice of option was to a large, but not an overwhelming, extent based on a desire to reinstate a symmetrical plan for the building; considerations of cost and of securing as much extra space as possible for the money