Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01868:reg:2016:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01868
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2016 (pt 9/11)
Character Range: 547675–550484

job, it was forced to buy unseasoned wood and wait eight weeks for it to be kiln-dried. The full complement of furniture was in place for the opening of Parliament in the new building on 9 May 1927. The exception to this was the President of the Senate's chair, a gift from the government of the Dominion of Canada and made there with the approval of Murdoch, which did not arrive until October 1927.

  Murdoch agreed to the proposal to incorporate a statue of the reigning British monarch, King George V, asking only that it be 'silhouetted within the frame of one of the openings of the Reception Hall, rather than it should be partly so, with the head confused by the moulded lines of the entablature passing over these openings'.99 In this he had been influenced by the position of the Victoria statue in Melbourne Parliament House.100

  Designed by Sir Bertram Mackennal, the large bronze statue was located in a central position at the top of the entrance stairs to King's Hall. The bronze bas reliefs by British sculptor Paul Montford were commissioned at the request of the then Speaker, Sir Littleton Groom, and feature the 'Fathers of Federation'. With the exception of the large ceramic sculpture by George Tinworth, presented by Royal Doulton in 1929, few artworks presented to Parliament remain on display today. Historic portraits of former prime ministers who served in the building, being on loan from various collections to Old Parliament House, currently hang in King's Hall.

  Murdoch retained a preference for natural lighting and made provision in his building design for generous windows, skylights and high ceilings. The elegant light fittings which were designed for Provisional Parliament House, some of which survive today, include large suspended luminaires with Classical ornamentation, and simple glass bowls suspended on chains.101 Later installations have attempted to respect the simplicity of the interior and reinforce the original concept of introducing light into internal spaces.

  Interesting features in Provisional Parliament House are the wall-mounted electric Simplex clocks and division bells connected to flashing green and red lights and encased in maple boxes. Originally timed to two minutes to allow Members time to return to the Chambers, the time was increased to three minutes following alterations to the building which increased the time taken to walk from outer areas of the House.

  In keeping with Murdoch's sense of a hierarchy of spaces, the selection of floor coverings for Provisional Parliament House reflected the status of the spaces. An Australian timber floor of jarrah and mountain ash was laid in the major ceremonial space in King's Hall, extending along borders into the lobbies and vestibules. A rubber sheet floor with the Australian