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President of the Senate’s signet ring

About 1905 - Sir Richard Chaffey Baker, Australia’s first ever President of the Senate, likely commissioned this unique gold and bloodstone signet ring.

The stone is delicately engraved with Baker’s title, a knight on horseback under a rising sun and the words ‘Advance Australia’. This iconography reflects Baker’s national pride and his beliefs: he was a strong advocate of Federation and of the Senate’s role in the Australian Parliament.

Photograph of a signet ring

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Non-Members’ Bar life membership tags

Non-Members’ Bar life membership tags

From 1946, a lively bar was provided for ‘non-members’ of parliament at the provisional Parliament House.

The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We respectfully acknowledge the role that First Nations people continue to play in shaping Australia's democracy. We also acknowledge the Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the region in which MoAD is located.

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