Reconciliation Place
On 22 May 2000, as a symbol of the Government's commitment to the ongoing reconciliation process, Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP announced that a ‘reconciliation square' (as it was then called) would be constructed in the National Capital.
On 7 December 2000 the Prime Minister announced in the House of Representatives that Reconciliation Place would be constructed in the Parliamentary Zone. The site is at the junction of Walter Burley Griffin's Land Axis and the pedestrian cross-axes between the National Library of Australia to the west, and the High Court of Australia to the east. The selection of this location places the reconciliation process physically and symbolically at the heart of Australian democratic and cultural life.
The Minister for Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, the Hon Philip Ruddock MP launched a national design competition on 28 February 2001. The competition closed on 9 May 2001 and thirty-six entries were received. It was an essential requirement of the design competition that an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person formed part of the design team.
Minister Ruddock announced the winning design in Parliament House on 18 June 2001. The team of Simon Kringas (Canberra Architect), Sharon Payne (Aboriginal Cultural Adviser), Alan Vogt (Exhibition Design Consultant) and Amy Leenders, Agi Calka and Cath Elliot (Architectural assistants) submitted the winning design.
Reconciliation Place was officially opened on 22 July 2002 by Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP.