The Archives Collection

The Parliamentary records fall into a number of distinct categories. First, there are the records of each House, which are both divided into the categories of Chamber and Office records. Secondly, there are the records of the various Standing, Sessional and Select Committees, which are a combination of the types of records to be found in Chamber and Office. Finally there are the ancillary and support departments of Parliament, such as the Library and Hansard.

Chamber Records
These are the actual Parliamentary records, originating from the legislative activities of each House of Parliament. Chamber records in both Houses include the Tabled Papers, which comprise the actual documents tabled by the Government in the Assembly and the Council. If they are ordered to be printed, the printed copies are bound into the Joint Volumes of the 'Parliamentary Papers'. Papers not ordered to be printed may be inspected by Members and, unless otherwise ordered, by other persons. The 'Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly' and the 'Journals of the Legislative Council' are the official permanent records proceedings in each House. They are printed and an official set is kept by the respective Clerk of each House.

Office Records
These are the housekeeping or day-to-day records essential for the administration of the offices of Parliament. These records include correspondence, financial and staff records, and control records such as indexes and registers.
A combination of office and chamber records is to be found in the records of the various Standing, Sessional and Select Committees of the two Houses.
The major record groups comprising the Parliamentary records are:

Records which will NOT be found in the Parliamentary Archives are cabinet records and the records of Government departments (to be found in the holdings of the NSW State Records Authority), unless they have been tabled in either House of Parliament.

The private papers of former Members are usually to be found (if they survive) in the Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW or in the National Library of Australia; as well as in the Parliamentary Archives, which holds a small number. The State Records Authority has recently (2002) begun to accession the papers of Premiers and Ministers of the Crown.

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