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Archives Collection
This section aims to be a comprehensive source of information about the archives and the history of the Parliament of NSW.
The New South Wales Parliamentary Archives is the only legislative archives in Australia and one of a small number of legislative archives in the world. The archives of the legislature are treated separately from the archives of the executive government because, under the Westminster system, Parliament is an institution 'sui generis', and constitutionally stands apart from the executive and judicial branches of government. Even though, under the NSW State Records Act (No. 17 of 1998), the records of the Parliament are nominally "State records", the archives of the Parliament can only be State archives by agreement between the Parliament and the State Records Authority.
The Collection
The records of the Parliament of New South Wales are the actual documentary evidence of the legislative activity of Parliament and the administration which services that activity.
Guides To The Archives
The Guides to the Archives of the Parliament of NSW describe a range of records dating from 1824 to the present day. They all relate to the Parliament and its predecessor (the first Legislative Council 1824 - 1856) in their legislative capabilities; and to the administration of the Parliament and its associated administrative and service departments.
Bills
This will tell you where and how to find information relating to Bills.
The 'NSW Parliamentary Debates' ("Hansard")
This will give you information on where to find the 'Parliamentary Debates' ("Hansard") from 1879; links to the current on-line Hansard; and where to find reports of the Parliamentary debates before 1879. There is also a section on the Archives of the Parliamentary reporting staff and the history of the NSW "Hansard".
House Papers
This will give you an overview of the archives relating to the Tabled Papers of the first Legislative Council from 1824 to 1856 and of both Houses since 1856; and will give links to current tabled papers on the main Parliamentary Website.
Publications Relating To The Parliament
This will give you a list of publications by and about the Parliament of NSW which will assist in the understanding and interpretation of the archives.
The Printed "Parliamentary Papers" and their Indexes
The 'Parliamentary Papers' are comprised of all papers tabled in either or both Houses which have been ordered to be printed. At the end of every parliamentary session these are brought together in bound volumes; the first volume of the sessional set is called the 'Votes and Proceedings' (Legislative Assembly); or the 'Minutes of Proceedings' (Legislative Council).
Members
This will lead you to the on-line 'Biographical Register of the Parliament of NSW from 1824 to the present', a Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government (1856 - 2006) Project; this area provides biographical details of every Member since 1824, with photographs or portraits where available.
Committees
This will give you an overview of the Parliamentary archives relating to the records of all Select and Standing Committees of the first Legislative Council from 1824 to 1856 and of both Houses since 1856; and will give links to the current records of Committees on the main Parliamentary Website.
Exhibitions
This will tell you about the exhibitions mounted by Parliamentary Archives.
Conservation
Conservation and preservation are important parts of the work of every Archives and Records Centre: because of this the NSW Parliamentary Archives has adopted a Conservation Programme.
Links
Citation
When archival material is referred to in any publication or paper, it is necessary to describe the source in sufficient detail for it to be found again by anyone else. This is known as the citation and the method of reference differs from that used for books. See citation of archived material.
Last modified 05/05/2008 11:25:25 : Update this page