Search help
Quick tips
You can search for parliamentary information and records in several ways. You can search the whole website for a keyword, and then filter by parliamentary business area, session or house.
You can also search within specific business areas, including: current session bills, committees, inquiries, Hansard, research and more.
Here are some of the most common ways to refine your search results. Instead of Boolean terms, use these to help refine your searches.
Search for an exact phrase
Wrap your words in double quotes to find them in that exact order, with no words in between.
Example: "planning and environment bill"
Require a word to appear
Place a + directly before a word to make sure every result includes it. Make sure there is no space between + and the word you want to appear.
Example: budget +housing +2024
Exclude a word
Place a – directly before a word to remove all results that contain it. Make sure there is no space between – and the word you want to exclude.
Example: climate -agriculture
Use filters to narrow your search
You can filter by parliamentary business type (bills, committees, Hansard, House papers, tabled papers, petitions, research papers), by parliamentary session (time period) and by house.
Word variations are included automatically
The search engine accounts for word variations and related forms. Searching vote may also return voting and voted.
How results are ranked
Results that match all your search words appear first (full matches). Results that contain only some of your words still appear below them (partial matches) — so you always see the most relevant content at the top, even if no perfect match exists.
Frequently asked questions
Why am I getting too many results?
Try wrapping your key terms in double quotes to search for an exact phrase, or use the + operator to require specific words. You can also apply date or parliamentary business filters from the results page. Search results will include terms from the title of a PDF, so generic terms like ‘house’ may return many results.
Why am I getting no results?
Check for spelling errors, or try fewer and more general words. If you used quotes, remove them to allow partial matches. Also check that any filters applied are not too restrictive.
Does capitalisation matter?
No. Searches are not case-sensitive: BUDGET, Budget, and budget will all return the same results.
Can I search for a document number, like a bill number?
Yes. Enter the number or reference code directly into the search box, or combine it with the subject matter for more specific results.
How can I search for a specific phrase or section in Hansard?
For a specific phrase or section of Hansard (such as Question Time: Road Tolls on 6 August in the LA), we suggest using the website’s overall search function:
- Enter the phrase or section name into the search field.
- Adjust the ‘Parliamentary business’ filter to ‘Hansard’, and select the relevant House.
- Sort the results by ‘Date (newest first)’.
- Selecting a result will take you directly to the relevant section of the Hansard online transcript.
How can I search for deferred answers to questions in Hansard?
We currently suggest using the website’s overall search function:
- Go to the main Website Search on the top right-hand corner
- Type Deferred Answers in your keyword search
- Optional: Select Legislative Council or Legslative Assembly to refine results
- Sort results based on preference (e.g. newest first)
You can further refine your results by adding keywords with + in front of the word (without spaces). E.g. +road.
How can I search for Hansard records by month and year?
From the Hansard and House papers search page you can filter by year, month, paper type and House, as well as by keyword.
You can also search Hansard records via the whole website search. Enter your keyword and then filter your results by selecting 'Hansard' from the Parliamentary Business drop down.