Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01868:reg:4:p60
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01868
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 60/63)
Character Range: 506555–509379

cutting, 'Sizing up the Prime Minister', 1972, House of Representatives file 72/318, OPH. See also 'Parliament House, Canberra, Telephone Directory', August 1974.
    78      Minute, A Ferrari, Director of Works, to Secretary and Manager, NCDC, 'Parliament House extensions – Refurbishing of Prime Minister's Temporary Accommodation', 25 September 1973; minute, HG Smith, Usher of the Black Rod, to Director of Works, 'Ministerial Suites – Senate West Wing', 29 November 1973; both in Senate file 25/1/3, OPH; information from Robert Alison, Usher of the Black Rod, 21 September 1999.
    79      Letter, Senator Steele Hall to Usher of the Black Rod, 13 November 1974; letter, Senator CL Laucke to President of the Senate, 9 November 1976; circular memorandum, RW Hillyer, Secretary, Joint House Department, 27 October 1978; minute, T Wharton, Acting Usher of the Black Rod, to Acting Secretary, Joint House Department, 'Room M137 – Senator McIntosh', 29 August 1979; minute, RL Burrell, Acting Secretary, to Acting Usher of the Black Rod, 5 September 1979; all in Senate file 25/1/3, OPH; information from Michael Richards, OPH; information from Robert Alison, 21 September 1999.
  cramped though the conditions were in the provisional building, they contributed to the hothouse political environment of the place.

  The southwest wing was also the site of an event associated with one of the most notorious intrigues of the Commonwealth Parliament. This was the famous, or infamous, 'Night of the Long Prawn', an Opposition ploy to thwart a rather disreputable manoeuvre by the Labor government to try to ensure that a half-Senate election due in May 1974 delivered it a majority in the Senate.

  Senator Vince Gair, a DLP senator from Queensland, had made the government aware that, if he were offered a diplomatic post overseas, he would resign as a senator. This suited Labor's political purposes admirably as Gair's resignation would create an additional casual vacancy to go with the five scheduled Senate vacancies in Queensland. With six Senate positions to be filled in the state, Labor would stand a very good chance of winning three of them and thus securing a majority in the Senate. The plot miscarried when word leaked out to the press on 2 April 1974 and the Opposition parties immediately set about upsetting Labor's plan. On discovering that Gair had not yet resigned from the Senate, senior Opposition parliamentarians persuaded the Premier of Queensland, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, to issue writs that same night for the election of only five senators from his state. This meant that no election could take place in May for the vacancy that would by left by Gair's departure. To make sure that Gair did not resign before Bjelke- Petersen issued the writs, Senator Ron Maunsell treated him to prawns and beer