Roger Price (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Speaker, in writing, on 30 October 2006:

Further to my previous question relating to the absence of conservation of Hansard volumes ( Hansard , 5 September 2006, page 68):

(1)

Are the Hansard volumes in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices in the various state capitals owned by the Parliament; if not who owns them; and

(2)

Why has no assessment been made of the condition of the older Hansard volumes owned by the Parliament and any need for conservation, and when will such an assessment be made.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member’s question is as follows:

(1)

Hansard bound volumes are distributed to Commonwealth addressees, including some Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices. Once the bound volumes are distributed, they are considered to be the owners’ or custodians’ responsibility.  The Department of Finance and Administration manages the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices and is responsible for Hansard bound volumes in those offices.  The Department of Finance and Administration has advised the Department of Parliamentary Services that they intend to discontinue the practice of receiving and displaying the Hansard bound volumes due to resource and storage constraints.

(2)

The Parliamentary Library keeps an archive set of Hansard volumes in good order by controlling access to the volumes, keeping two sets of the volumes (one is used for reference and photocopying purposes, the other maintained for archive purposes), and repairing any damaged volumes on an “as required” basis.There are currently no plans to conduct conservation assessments of Hansard bound volumes held in the Parliament.