Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00620:body:0:p18
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00620
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 48687–51604

Commission (FCC, Section 2.3.3).
Planning for the transfer of Parliament commenced in 1921.  From the outset, there was broad acceptance that the new Parliament House would be temporary.  Construction of a permanent structure would be both costly (a pertinent consideration in the context of managing post-war debt) and time-consuming, potentially delaying the transfer of Parliament for many years.  Options canvassed in 1921 and 1922 included construction of a Conference Hall that could be augmented for use as a Parliament House when required, and a building of demonstrably temporary character – perhaps built of corrugated sheet metal, fibro-cement of weatherboard – that might serve for 10-20 years before replacement.[22]  Discussion also focused on whether the city would evolve around the temporary building, or whether the location of the permanent structure would be the key determinant for the city's evolution.  This question required consideration of how temporary the provisional Parliament House would be.  That is to say, would it be removed or repurposed when the permanent structure was completed?
In February-March 1923, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works considered the issue and interviewed approximately 50 witnesses.  The outcome was a report in July 1923 with two options: a nucleus of permanent buildings for Parliamentary use located on Camp Hill, to be expanded as required; and a provisional structure on the north-facing slope of Camp Hill.  In August 1923 the Government, anxious to expedite the relocation of Parliament, selected the provisional option, for which a design was already underway (see 2.4).[23]  The first sod was turned on 28 August 1923.[24]

2.3.3               Federal Capital Commission (1925-30)
The Government established the Federal Capital Commission (FCC) under the Seat of Government (Administration) Act of 1924.  The FFC's immediate task was to oversee the relocation of Parliament from Melbourne to Canberra.  The FCC was also responsible for the gazettal of the Griffin plan of 1918.
Griffin's plan was, in the main, ignored by the FCC, as was his recommended pattern of settlement.  The FCC chose to focus on the delivery of isolated buildings; Griffin's intent had been to concentrate development around the Municipal Axis (Constitution Avenue).  The FCC promoted the development of an 'Initial City' to the south of the Molonglo River flood plain, close to the Civic Centre indicated on the Departmental Board plan of 1913; Griffin had recommended that the core of the city be located around Mount Vernon, the Civic Centre indicated on his original competition entry.
The FCC was a dynamic, fast-acting agency which oversaw the first concerted wave of development at Canberra.  By the time it was wound up in 1930 development delivered by the FCC south of the Molonglo River valley included, but was not limited to:
      * The 'Initial