Hansard

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I select more than one MP, speaker or date from the search box?
Hold down the Ctrl key as you make your selections.
How do I find out more about a Bill and what it is intended to do?
Type in the name of the bill in the "Debate text" box and select "Second Reading" from the activity box. Check the earliest date for the particular bill and read the Ministers Second Reading speech in which the intentions and reasons for the bill are outlined. The Minister will introduce the Bill by saying, "I move, that this bill be now read a second time."
How do I search for MPs with the same surname (eg, Smith)?
Select the MP's name from the Member/Speaker box. In the debate text box, type in the name of the seat or electorate which that MP represents. To check which seat a current MP holds, use theMembers' Search. To check which seat a former MP held, use the biographical database called Re-Member.
Where can I find Daily Hansard if it is not available on the Search Hansard site?
Go to the Download Assembly or Download Council site on the entry page.
Where can I find the revised weekly Hansard if it is not available on the Search Hansard site?
Go to the Download Assembly or Download Council site on the entry page.
How do I cite Hansard in a bibliography?
Victorian Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly/Council, vol. no. (if available), day/month/year, page
What if I want to search for an earlier Hansard which is not on the web?
Victorian Hansard goes back to 1856, but we only have from 1991 available for online searching, and 1999 available in downloadable PDF versions. You will need to go to the Victorian State Library or a Victorian University Library to check if they have the volumes you require. Victorian MPs and their staff can use the Victorian Parliamentary Library.
How do I find other Australian Hansard?
Here are the links:
How do I find a Member's inaugural speech?
Search on an MP's name and go to their earliest speech in parliament. Check to see if they refer to this as being their first speech. Note: some MPs entered parliament prior to 1991, so their inaugural speech will not appear on the Hansard database.
How do I check to see what was said about an MP who has died?
Select "Condolences" from the activity box and type in the name of the MP in the debate text box. If you are not sure of the MP's name, simply do not type anything in the debate text box, but select a year and check the results on the screen as the names will be displayed.
How do I find if a report has been tabled in parliament?
Select "Papers" from the activity box and type in the name of the report (usually a parliamentary paper or annual report) in the debate text box. You may want to limit your results by selecting a year.
How do I find if a petition has been tabled in parliament?
Select "Petitions" from the activity box and type in a keyword for the petition. If you want to view a list of all petitions tabled in parliament, simply select a year and don't type anything in the debate text box.
How do I read what happens in question time?
Question Time is often the most interesting part of parliamentary proceedings. Select "Questions Without Notice" from the activity box and select a particular date. If you want to see what questions have been asked on particular topics, type your keywords in the debate text box.
What's the difference between "Questions Without Notice" and "Questions On Notice"?
"Questions Without Notice" are questions asked by Opposition and Government Members directly to Ministers (or their representatives) in parliament. This is an opportunity for the Opposition to scrutinise Government on important issues of the day.

"Questions On Notice" are pre-prepared written questions which are not verbally asked in the chamber. These questions are posed to a Minister and usually responded to after the Minister's Department has prepared an official response which can often take weeks or months (which is when both the question and answer are incorporated into Hansard). These written answers are often incorporated into Hansard with detailed tables, so they cannot be viewed within the Search Hansard database. Please go to "Download Hansard" (in PDF format) to read these answers to "Questions on Notice".

Last Updated on Monday, 28 March 2011