11 June 2013 - Advent Park, Maida Vale, Perth, Western Australia

Braving the cold this morning, we headed into the city quite early, allowing Tomtom to take us across a network of highways and freeways that seemed so much longer in distance than our normal route. I was sure he was working on the fact that there would be more congestion working our way through traffic lights at this time of the morning, however Chris does not credit our navigational device with that much intelligence. He is probably right.

We parked up at Kings Park and walked down to the State Parliament only a few blocks away. I was sure the tours were on every day; I was wrong. But Parliament would be sitting later in the day and we could join the audience in the gallery.

In the meantime a crowd of members from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union were gathered at the gate matched almost number for number with police. The Unions are unhappy about the fact that offshore LNG projects might get away with employing foreign workers rather than being obliged to take locals. “Jobs for Aussies”, was their call and understandable although it seems that the Australian workers are much greedier than their overseas counterparts. Things never change really, do they?

WA's Parliament complete with balga

Chris was insistent that we would not let this rabble stand in our way, so we made our way through them rather than cross the street. They were actually quite harmless but I am always of a mind to avoid possible jostling, physical or otherwise.

 
So we set off on foot down into the city, and then caught the free buses, one after another for a tour through areas we had not yet seen. We were most impressed with the lovely apartments in East Perth, all looking so lovely amongst the autumnal trees. Down at the ferry wharf, we parked ourselves on a bench in front of the Bell Tower, toted as a popular tourist destination and labelled an icon for Perth and Western Australia, however we find it most unattractive. For a princely sum, you can climb up inside this glass construction and learn how the bells work.

The historic ring of bells was given to the people of Western Australia as part of the national Bicentennial celebrations in 1988. They include the twelve bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields which are recorded as being in existence from before 14^th century and recast in the 16^th century by Elizabeth I. The bells were again recast between 1725 and 1770 by three generations of the Rudhall family of bell founders from Gloucester in England under the order of the Prince of Wales who was later crowned as King George II. They are one of the few sets of royal bells and are the only ones known to have left England. So one could say that this was quite a gift to the State and one should not be ungracious. I am not ungracious on behalf of the State or any Australian; I am simply saying the way they are housed and used here and now, just does not do it for me.

The structure protecting the bells from the elements reminds me of London’s “gherkin”, although I suspect the architect of that building would be insulted to hear such a comparison. This is all located down on the bank of the Swan and the view from up in the tower is no doubt quite delightful over the wharf area. We have made do with the more distant view from Kings Park.

While we sat there in the sun out of the wind, the bells rang midday at five past the hour and then a little later several times again, presumably to demonstrate their workings.

The Red Cat took us up to Parliament, still far too early, so we found a sunny spot in the nearby car park, sat on a concrete wall and read the newspaper. A plaque on the wall beside us advised us we were sharing space with Tom Charles Edwards, a Western Australian labour martyr, who was "bayonetted by police after defending the elderly President of the Lumpers from police baton blows to the head during the Freemantle Wharf Crises, which was caused when Business sought to unload the disease riddled and quarantines vessel 'Dimboola'". He was aged thirty, the year was 1919. Rest in peace Tom.

We were the first into the gallery of the representative chamber and able to take our pick of seats. The chamber is quite a beautiful room, surrounded by stunning stained glass windows, most featuring Western Australia’s emblem; the black swan. Alas a glass barrier has been erected all around the gallery seating and cuts the sounds from the floor to such a degree, the carryings on are not at all easy to follow. A number of television screens are set into that same barrier and do assist the public if they are adept at lip reading. We sat through question time, admired the Speaker’s efforts in keeping the rabble under control, admired the gentlemanly demeanour of the Premier, Colin Barnett, but then decided that was enough for the day.

We found our own way home, along busy routes dodging buses and traffic lights, in time to catch Chris’s sister on Skype and deal with a number of emails.

It is cold tonight; I might have to pull the big woollen blanket out.