Factsheet3.2

Queensland Parliament: Celebrating 150 years in 2010

In 2009, celebrated Q150. This there were 11 appointees to the Upper House. marked the 150th anniversary of Queensland’s All of these 37 Members were men as only land- creation following its separation from the colony holding males were eligible to be candidates of New South Wales in 1859. However, the and vote. Herbert was elected unopposed to the first Queensland Parliament did not sit until seat of Leichhardt and became Queensland’s 1860, almost a full year after the new colony first Premier after having served as the Colonial was created. Secretary from December 1859. The first Queensland Parliament met on 22 May Background 1860 before being officially opened on 29 May On 6 June 1859, approved 1860. The Parliament first sat at the Old Convict the creation of a new colony to be called Barracks building which was located in ’s Queensland. On 10 December the same year, Queen Street, roughly opposite the current Myer Sir George Ferguson Bowen arrived in Brisbane Centre. as the new colony’s and officially proclaimed the Colony of Queensland. He appointed Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert as the Colonial Secretary – a position similar to today’s Premier, except that he was appointed, not elected. Herbert’s interim government presided over Queensland until April 1860 when Governor Bowen issued the writs for the first election.

The First Election Queensland covers a large area and in the 19th Century, the lack of communication technologies and slow modes of transport meant that it took weeks to travel from one end of the colony to the other. For this reason, voting for the first Queensland election took place from 27 April to 11 May 1860. At the 1860 election, 26 Members were elected to the Legislative Assembly from 16 electorates (some electorates had two representatives) and

Then and Now: Stamp produced to commemorate 100 years of self government in Queensland and Parliament House today.

Updated February 2019 P +61 7 3553 6000 www.parliament.qld.gov.au F +61 7 3553 6419 [email protected] South Wales Parliament’s website. For moreinformationonQueenslandP 6 June1859 Historical timelineofQueensland’s Parliament www.parliament.qld.gov.au/P150 For moreinformationabouttheQueenslandParliament’s 150thanniversarycelebrationsvisit: Many ofthesedevelopmentswouldhavebeenunimaginableforHerbertandhisfirstgovernment. over thepast150years: While theQueenslandParliament maintainstheWestminster styleofgovernment,muchhaschanged What haschanged? asignificantnumberofMembersarewomen,withfemalesuffrageachievedin1905,andboththe • • itisnowaunicameralparliamentwiththeLegislativeCouncil(theUpperHouse)beingabolishedin • • 10 December1859 2010 2002 1979 1922 1868 22 May1860 27 April –11May1860 positions ofGovernorandPremierhavebeenfilledbywomen. electorates; and there arenow 1922; George Streetsin1868; the parliamenthaschangedlocation,movingtoitspresentlocationoncornerof Alice and

Order-in-Council providedfortheseparationofQueenslandasaseparatecolonytoNew 93

MembersintheLegislative Assembly (theLowerHouse)representing

Herbert asColonialSecretary Queensland Parliament celebrates150 yearssinceitsestablishmentin1860 Regional sittingsoftheQueenslandP The Parliamentary itself Queensland becomesaunicameralparliamentaftertheUpperHouseabolishes Streets, adjacenttotheCityBotanicGardens Parliament movestoitspresentlocation tothecornerofGeorgeand Alice Parliament firstsitsatOldConvictBarracks, QueensStreet,Brisbane Queensland’s firstelectionsareheld Sir GeorgeBowenarrivesasQueensland’s firstGovernorandappointsSirR arliament historyseeFactsheet3.1ontheQueensland Celebrating 150yearsin2010 Annexe buildingisaddedtoParliament House Queensland Parliament: arliament firstoccurin Updated 93

Factsheet February 2019 3.2 obert