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(Melbourne, 1890) and National Australasian Convention (Sydney, 1891) were held to determine how the colonies should federate, but were fraught with inter-colonial rivalry.  The location of the future national capital was the source of heated debate during the 1890s, but the ultimate decision was left to the future parliament following federation.
The coastal locations of all of the colony's capital cities was considered a potential security risk, so an inland location was suggested.  By the time of the National Australasian conventions in 1897-98, there was consideration that the selected site should be 'central, accessible, defensible and healthy'.[89]
Although there are twentieth century capital cities around the world that are comparable to Canberra in terms of expressing progressive and nationally-specific urban planning principles, the creation of Canberra is unique in that it was the first example '[in the] history of the world when one nation has owned a whole continent and has been able to create a city of its own will for the purpose of a capital'.[90]
Further, the design and planning of Canberra as the administrative and political centre of the country embodied aspirations as a national showcase.  The city was intended to represent Australian design in the twentieth century, and to be understood as a 'model city' made by the people of Australia to show the world.
The Parliament House Secretariat group, including West Block, provides tangible evidence of federation.  The group was purpose-built to facilitate the operation of the Commonwealth Government following the decision to relocate the operations of government from Melbourne to Canberra.
While West Block, East Block and the Provisional Parliament House have been subject to incremental change over time, related in the main to changes of use and occupants, the buildings and their planned, historical and architectural relationships remain unchanged.

3.1.2               Canberra as the National Capital
By 1925, when the FCC assumed responsibility for relocating Parliament to Canberra, the 'bush capital' had become a small country town.  As noted at Chapter 2, the FCC was charged with – among other tasks – relocating departments and public servants from the capital cities of Australia (primarily Melbourne and Sydney) to the infant capital.  The next two years saw a flurry of activity and decision-making, and the federal Parliament officially opened in Canberra on 9 May 1927, 26 years to the day after the opening of the first federal Parliament in Melbourne.
In its planning and composition, the Parliament House Secretariat group provides evidence of this intense period of development in the new capital.  In many respects, the completion of the grouping represented the culmination of Canberra's 'establishment' (or 'inaugural') phase'.  Further, the scale of West Block and East Block provides an insight into the times.  For