# Parliament House

> house of parliament for Australia

**Wikidata**: [Q1858105](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1858105)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_House,_Canberra)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/parliament-house

## Summary
Parliament House, also known as the Australian Parliament House or APH, is the legislative building located in Canberra that serves as the headquarters for the Parliament of Australia. Opened in 1988, it houses the bicameral national legislature and specific bodies like the National Security Committee. The structure was designed by Italian-Australian architect Romaldo Giurgola and stands as the primary seat of government in the country of Australia.

## Key Facts
- **Inception Date**: The building officially opened in 1988.
- **Location**: Situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, which itself was established on March 12, 1913.
- **Geographic Context**: Located in Australia, a country in the Oceania region (Oceania comprises Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia).
- **Coordinates**: Latitude -35.308055555555555, Longitude 149.12444444444444.
- **Primary Function**: Serves as the headquarters for the Parliament of Australia, a bicameral national legislature established on January 1, 1901.
- **Specific Occupants**: Houses the Australian House of Representatives (the lower house, established in 1901) and the National Security Committee (established in 1996).
- **Architect**: Designed by Romaldo Giurgola (1920–2016), an Italian-Australian architect with citizenship in Australia, Italy, and the United States.
- **Aliases**: Known variously as Parliament House, Canberra, Australian Parliament House, and APH.
- **Official Website**: http://www.aph.gov.au.
- **Classification**: It is a subclass of a legislative building used by entities with a parliamentary form of government.
- **Sitelink Count**: The entity has 27 sitelinks across knowledge bases.

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Parliament House?**
It functions as the central meeting place for the Parliament of Australia, hosting both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Additionally, it serves as the operational headquarters for key government bodies such as the National Security Committee.

**Who was responsible for the design and construction of the building?**
The architectural design was created by Romaldo Giurgola, an Italian-Australian architect who held citizenship in Australia, Italy, and the United States. The building was completed and opened in 1988, decades after the Parliament itself was formed in 1901.

**Where is the building located and what region does it belong to?**
The structure is situated in Canberra, which is the capital city of Australia. Geographically, Australia is a country located within the Oceania region, which encompasses Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

**What specific government bodies operate from this location?**
The building hosts the bicameral Parliament of Australia, including the lower house known as the Australian House of Representatives. It also serves as the headquarters for the National Security Committee, which handles national security and major foreign policy decisions.

## Why It Matters
Parliament House is the physical embodiment of Australia's democratic governance, serving as the operational hub for the nation's bicameral legislature since its opening in 1988. It solves the critical need for a dedicated, centralized location where the Australian House of Representatives and the Senate can convene to enact laws. Beyond general legislation, the building facilitates high-stakes decision-making by housing the National Security Committee, ensuring that national security and major foreign policy are managed from the seat of government. Its existence marks the culmination of the federation process that began in 1901, providing a permanent home for the institutions that define the Australian state within the Oceania region.

## Notable For
- **Architectural Distinction**: Designed by the renowned Italian-Australian architect Romaldo Giurgola, distinguishing it from other legislative buildings through its specific design philosophy.
- **Historical Continuity**: Represents the modern physical home of a legislature that has existed since the inception of the Commonwealth of Australia on January 1, 1901.
- **Strategic Hub**: Serves as the exclusive headquarters for the National Security Committee, a body established in 1996 to manage critical national security and foreign policy.
- **Geographic Significance**: Located in Canberra, a purpose-built capital city founded in 1913, separating the seat of government from major commercial cities.
- **Functional Classification**: Stands as a definitive subclass of legislative buildings specifically utilized by countries with a parliamentary form of government.

## Body

### Location and Geographic Context
Parliament House is situated in Canberra, the designated capital city of Australia. Canberra was established on March 12, 1913, serving as the political center for the nation. The country of Australia is located in the Oceania region, a vast geographical area that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. The specific geographic coordinates of the building are latitude -35.308055555555555 and longitude 149.12444444444444. This location places the legislative body firmly within the sovereign territory of Australia, a nation that achieved its inception on January 1, 1901.

### Architectural Design and Creator
The structure was designed by Romaldo Giurgola, an Italian-Australian architect who lived from 1920 to 2016. Giurgola held citizenship in three nations: Australia, Italy, and the United States. His work on Parliament House is a significant part of his professional legacy, which also includes other architectural and academic contributions. The building is classified as a legislative building, a subclass of structures used by entities that operate under a parliamentary form of government. While it shares functional similarities with other building types, its primary designation remains that of a parliament building rather than an art museum or other civic structure.

### Legislative Functions and Occupants
The primary function of Parliament House is to serve as the headquarters for the Parliament of Australia. This Parliament is a bicameral national legislature that was established on January 1, 1901. Within this building, the Australian House of Representatives operates as the lower house of the Parliament. The House of Representatives was also established in 1901 and shares the same headquarters location as the broader Parliament. The building also houses the National Security Committee, a body responsible for national security and major foreign policy in Australia. The National Security Committee was established in 1996 and lists Parliament House as its specific headquarters.

### Historical Timeline and Inception
The timeline of the entity involves several key dates. The Parliament of Australia and the Australian House of Representatives both trace their origins to January 1, 1901, marking the start of the federation. The capital city of Canberra, where the building resides, was founded later on March 12, 1913. The physical structure of Parliament House itself was not completed until 1988. The National Security Committee, another key tenant, began its operations in 1996. These dates reflect the evolution from the initial formation of the nation's government to the construction of its permanent legislative home and the establishment of specialized security committees.

### Digital Presence and Identification
The entity is identified by several aliases, including "Parliament House," "Canberra," "Australian Parliament House," and "APH." It maintains an official website at http://www.aph.gov.au for public access to parliamentary information. In knowledge databases, the entity is associated with the Wikipedia title "Parliament House, Canberra" and holds a sitelink count of 27. The description provided in Wikidata explicitly defines it as the "house of parliament for Australia." These digital identifiers ensure the building is correctly categorized and accessible across various information platforms.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](http://www.emporis.com/buildings/903932/parliament-house-canberra-australia)
4. [Source](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aipro.php)
5. [Internet Domains Wikibase](https://domains.wikibase.cloud/entity/Q994)