Records of the Parliament

What are records of the Parliament?

Official records are produced to record everything that is said and done in the Australian Parliament. The official records of Parliament include Journals of the Senate, Votes and Proceedings and Hansard. These records have been produced since Parliament first met in 1901 and are now available online.

Anyone can check the records of the Australian Parliament to see what is being said about a bill – proposed law – or issue and to find out about decisions made by Parliament. As well as informing people about its work, these records are an important way of keeping Parliament open and accountable.

Journals of the Senate and Votes and Proceedings 

Official documents are produced to record the actions and decisions made by Parliament. In the Senate this record is called the Journals of the Senate and in the House of Representatives it is called Votes and Proceedings. These records contain what is done rather than what is said by individual members of parliament. For example, they list the bills introduced and who introduced them, every vote held and how each member of parliament voted, as well as documents tabled – presented – in the Parliament.

The Standing Orders – rules – of both the Senate and House of Representatives say that the Clerks must keep and publish these records. The Journals of the Senate and Votes and Proceedings are legal records that provide the most accurate information about the activities of Parliament.

Hansard

Hansard is an edited transcript – written record – of everything that is said in the Senate, House of Representatives, Federation Chamber and committee hearings. The transcript is edited to remove repetition and grammatical errors but not to change the meaning.

Hansard includes:

• speeches made by senators and members of the House of Representatives
• transcripts of committee hearings held at Parliament House and around Australia, including witness statements
• results of divisions – formal votes
• the text of petitions
• ministers' written statements and answers to questions.

Other publications

Several other documents are available online that detail the daily work of the Senate and House of Representatives, and provide up-to-the-minute reports of what is happening in Parliament.

Examples of Hansard; Journals of the Senate; House of Representatives Daily Program; and Senate Daily Summary.

Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)

Examples of Hansard; Journals of the Senate; House of Representatives Daily Program; and Senate Daily Summary.

Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)

Description

This image shows the front cover of the following records of the Australian Parliament: Journals of the Senate, Hansard, House of Representatives Daily Program and Senate Daily Summary.

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