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FAQ Search Results

1. How can I contact my local Member?

   The Contacting Senators and Members website provides information on elected parliamentarians, including their contact details.

2. How can I contact the Prime Minister

   The Prime Ministers Website contact page includes a form for you to ask the Prime Minister a question, give advice and pass on well-wishes.

   If you wish to send invitations, meeting requests or correspondence requiring supporting attachments such as photos or documents, please send them via Australia Post mail to:

   Prime Minister
   Parliament House
   CANBERRA ACT 2600

    

    

3. How can I find subject information on politics or on political issues

   From the Parliamentary Library's page there is a link to Browse by Topic which brings together the Parliamentary Library’s Research Publications, Bills Digests and other resources related to this topic. Senators, members and their staff are encouraged to contact the Library for further information on these or other resources.

   Guides are available from the Library on the following topics:

   Indigenous affairs: a quick guide to key internet links

   Key internet links on Communications and Media

   Key internet links on Calendars of Events

   Community grants: a quick guide to key Internet links

   Key internet links on Family Law

   The arts and culture: a quick guide to key internet links

   Key internet links on Sport and Recreation

   Crime and law enforcement: a quick guide to key Internet links

   Defence: a quick guide to key internet links

   National security: a quick guide to key internet links

   Key internet links on Economics

   School education: a quick guide to key internet links

   Tertiary education: a quick guide to key internet links

   Key internet links on Employment Law

   Key internet links on Health

   Humanitarian entrants and asylum seekers: a quick guide to key internet links

   Key internet links on International Relations

   Key internet links on Law

   Parliament: a quick guide to key internet links

   Australian and selected overseas governments: a quick guide to key internet links

   Elections and electoral systems: a quick guide to key internet links

   Key internet links on Political Parties

   Key internet links on Population

   Key internet links on Ageing

   Key internet links on Religion

   Key internet links on Statistics

   Key internet links on Social Security

4. How do I address a member of Parliament

   Prime Minister
   Envelope	The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, MP Prime Minister of Australia
   Salutation	Dear Prime Minister
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Prime Minister or Mr Turnbull
   President of the Senate (when writing formally)
   Envelope	Senator the Hon. Stephen Parry President of the Senate
   Salutation	Dear Mr President
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Mr President or Senator Parry
   President of the Senate (when writing to the President in their electoral capacity)
   Envelope	Senator the Hon. Stephen Parry
   Salutation	Dear Senator or Senator Parry
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Senator
   Speaker of the House of Representatives (when writing formally)
   Envelope	The Hon Mr Smith, MP Speaker of the House of Representatives
   Salutation	Dear Mr Speaker
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Mr Speaker
   Speaker of the House of Representatives (when writing to the Speaker in their electoral capacity)
   Envelope	The Hon Mr Smith, MP Speaker of the House of Representatives
   Salutation	Dear Mr Smith
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Mr Speaker
   Minister (Senate)
   Envelope	Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance
   Salutation	Dear Minister
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Minister or Senator
   Minister (House of Representatives)
   Envelope	The Hon Julie Bishop MP, MP Minister for Foreign Affairs
   Salutation	Dear Minister
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Minister or Ms Bishop
   Assistant Minister (Senate)
   Envelope	Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
   Salutation	Dear Assistant Minister
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Minister or Senator
   Assistant Minister (House of Representatives)
   Envelope	The Hon Alex Hawke, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
   Salutation	Dear Assistant Minister
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Minister or Mr Hawke
   Senator
   Envelope	Senator Richard Di Natale, Senator for Victoria
   Salutation	Dear Senator
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Senator
   Member (House of Representatives)
   Envelope	Mr Andrew Broad, MP
   Salutation	Dear Sir
   Conclusion	Yours faithfully
   How to address orally	Mr Broad

   Who can use the title Honourable?

   A Member or Senator who becomes a Minister is appointed to the Executive Council and thus has the title ‘Honourable’ while they remain Executive Councillors. It rests with the Governor-General to continue or terminate membership of the Executive Council and consequently the right to the title. With one exception, Ministers appointed to the Executive Council have not in the past had their appointment to the Council terminated upon termination of their commission and hence have retained the title ‘Honourable’ for life. Parliamentary Secretaries also have the title ‘Honourable’ when, as has been the recent practice, they have been appointed to the Executive Council. It is established custom for a Member who is elected Speaker to use the title ‘Honourable’ during his or her period of office and to be granted the privilege of retaining the title for life if he or she serves in the office for three or more years. Source: House of Representatives Practice (5th edition)

5. How do I find out about the work of the House?

   Infosheet No. 12 Finding out about the House is a good place to start when looking for information about the work of the House.

6. How do I find the names of Opposition Leaders or Ministers or Prime Ministers since 1901?

   This information can be found in the historical Parliamentary information contained in the Parliamentary Handbook.

   As well as Opposition Leaders since 1901, from this page you will also find information such as Governors-General since 1901, Senators and Members since 1901, Prime Ministers since 1901, Ministries since 1901, and much more.

7. How do I get my petition before the House and what will happen to it after it is presented?

   See Infosheet No. 11 Petitions to find out more on this subject

8. How do I make a reference to a second reading speech?

   An example of how to reference a second reading speech is shown below:

   Mr Billson, Second Reading speech: Competition and Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2011, 7 July 2011, accessible in ParlInfo Search .

9. How do I request a copy of Parliamentary proceedings?

   The proceedings of the House of Representatives, the Senate, parliamentary committees and parliamentary events are recorded and available to Members, Senators, general public, media and other organisations upon request.

   You can request a copy of parliamentary proceedings by contacting the DPS Broadcasting Content section, providing the following information:

   Name of event, chamber or committee
   Date
   Start and end time
   Your contact details
   Tape/file format

   Then email, fax or mail your request to

   DPS Broadcasting Content
   c/o Production Office, SB011
   PO Box 6000, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600
   broadcasting@aph.gov.au,
   Fax 02 6277 8389

   Please note not all committee hearings are televised.

   Stock and dubbing charges apply and are available upon request.

   Many different formats are available such as VHS, DVD, media files and broadcast quality media.

   For more information please contact Client Support on 02 6277 2020.

10. How to contact Senators and Members of Parliament

    You can contact a Senator or Member in a number of ways:

    • by phone
    • by fax
    • by post
    • by email (if a Senator or Member has an email address) or by using the contact form which some Senators and Members prefer to use.

    The Parliament site provides a number of contact lists for both Senators and Members which you can print out, download or quickly browse.

    For contact information on Senators.

    For contact information on Members.

    If you would like to email messages to either a Senator or Member, click on the Home Pages option where you will find an email address or a feedback form.

    Please do not send mail for Senators or Members of Parliament to the Web Manager's mail box . This Web Manager's mailbox is for problems or comments regarding the site and the mail sent here does not reach Senators or Members.

11. How to I find out information about Committees or get Committee transcripts?

    There are links to all current Committees from the list of Committees.

    Committee transcripts are found by searching Hansard under the name of the Committee. Please note that there are sometimes delays in making transcripts available as they are proofed.