What is the Black Rod?
The Black Rod is a thin black ebony rod about 1.3 metres long and topped with an ornamental silver crown positioned above a representation of the Australian Coat of Arms. The Black Rod is the staff of office of the Usher of the Black Rod and is placed upright in a stand on the government side of the chamber while ever the chamber remains at work. The Black Rod is used during ceremonial occasions including: • the opening of a new Parliament, • the announcement of the arrival of the President of the Senate • the announcement of the arrival of the Governor-General • during the transportation of bills from the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Black Rod in use today was made in 1927 for the opening of the Provisional Parliament House and was modelled on the Black Rod used in the New South Wales upper house. The timber was replaced with ebony for the opening of Parliament House in 1988. The Black Rod of the Victorian upper house was used for the first opening of Parliament in 190
