Many of you may have wondered what exactly it is that brought me half-way around the world. I have the terrific opportunity to be an intern in the Victorian State Parliament. It is an exceptional opportunity to learn more about another form of government. It is also a wonderful opportunity to see how another government is handling similar issues that we are facing in my home state as well as my home country.
*Warning: Brief Boring Informational Section Containing Strong Political References*
The Parliament here operates very similarly to the English Parliament or Westminster System. It operates under a different set of rules and procedures than those I am most familiar with in the Federal system of the United States of America, although there are many similarities. It is obvious that the two systems are "cousins" or of the same family.
There are two houses, similar to the United States' Senate and House of Representatives. They are referred to as the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The political party with the majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly or "Lower House" form the government which is basically their executive branch of government.
(House Chambers: Red carpet denotes the Council whereas the green carpet denotes the Assembly)
The government elects from its body a Premier, Deputy Premier, and Ministers who direct matters over a certain area of government. The two major parties in Victoria are the Liberal Party (conservative side of policy) and the Labour Party. Currently the Liberal Party holds the majority in Parliament by 1 chair. (In other words, it can get pretty intense.)*End of Political Talk*
The building which Parliament meets in, the Parliament House, is a cool old building. (Pictured at the top of this post.) It was actually the site of the National Parliament House before things were shuffled around and the center of federal government ended up in Canberra.
The building has avoided too much modernization and therefore has been well preserved as it was originally built, as it is heritage listed. However, for various political and other reasons, it has not been well maintained and unfortunately you don't have to look hard to find the wear and tear of the many years. Some might argue that this gives it added beauty. Nonetheless, it is a gorgeous building and definitely a national treasure.
The building reflects the rich history of the country as a member of the British Commonwealth. Housed by the state named after the Queen Victoria, the building contains a large statue of Her Majesty in the Queens Hall along with many other indicators of the royal ties, aside from the building itself being absolutely regal.
1 comments:
Gorgeous pics. Sure wish I could be there! Thanks for sharing!
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