Australian Parliamentary Handbook
Encyclopedia
The Australian Parliamentary Handbook (officially the Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia), is the official record of the Parliament of Australia
. The handbook is published once during each three-year Parliament by the Department of the Parliamentary Library, under the authority of the Parliament.
The first edition of the Handbook was published in 1915, and was titled Biographical Handbook and Record of Elections for the Parliament of the Commonwealth. This followed a resolution of the Joint Library Committee ordering the publication of a handbook, giving political biographies of all members of both Houses since Federation in 1901, "with other information likely to be useful." Since 1915 there have been 30 editions of the Handbook. An edition of the Handbook has been published after every federal election since 1917, except for those of 1928 (when there was another election the following year), 1940 and 1943 (due to wartime printing restrictions), 1946 and 1949 (for unknown reasons) and 1954 (another very short Parliament). The edition published in 1976 was described as a "supplement to the 19th edition," published in 1975.
Until the election of the Whitlam
Labor
government in 1972, the Handbook was officially titled the Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook. Whitlam's desire to replace the phrase "Commonwealth of Australia" with the word "Australia" in all official usages led to the renaming of the Handbook's 18th edition in 1973 as the Australian Parliamentary Handbook. The Fraser
Liberal
government renamed the Handbook Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia.
For many years the Handbook was the only readily accessible source of statistical information about elections to the Australian Parliament. Since the 1970s, however, these have been published separately by the Australian Electoral Commission
(AEC) and are now easily accessible at the AEC website (current elections only) or at Adam Carr's Election Archive (all elections since 1901).
The modern Handbook contains full biographies of all Members and Senators, details of the Ministry and Shadow Ministry, membership of all Parliamentary committees, statistical information on the composition of the Parliament, summaries of recent election results, the text of the Australian Constitution, results of referendum
s to change the Constutution, and historical information including the names and career details of all Members and Senators since 1901.
The Handbook is now available in an online edition.
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
. The handbook is published once during each three-year Parliament by the Department of the Parliamentary Library, under the authority of the Parliament.
The first edition of the Handbook was published in 1915, and was titled Biographical Handbook and Record of Elections for the Parliament of the Commonwealth. This followed a resolution of the Joint Library Committee ordering the publication of a handbook, giving political biographies of all members of both Houses since Federation in 1901, "with other information likely to be useful." Since 1915 there have been 30 editions of the Handbook. An edition of the Handbook has been published after every federal election since 1917, except for those of 1928 (when there was another election the following year), 1940 and 1943 (due to wartime printing restrictions), 1946 and 1949 (for unknown reasons) and 1954 (another very short Parliament). The edition published in 1976 was described as a "supplement to the 19th edition," published in 1975.
Until the election of the Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government in 1972, the Handbook was officially titled the Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook. Whitlam's desire to replace the phrase "Commonwealth of Australia" with the word "Australia" in all official usages led to the renaming of the Handbook's 18th edition in 1973 as the Australian Parliamentary Handbook. The Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
government renamed the Handbook Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia.
For many years the Handbook was the only readily accessible source of statistical information about elections to the Australian Parliament. Since the 1970s, however, these have been published separately by the Australian Electoral Commission
Australian Electoral Commission
The Australian Electoral Commission, or the AEC, is the federal government agency in charge of organising and supervising federal elections and referendums. State and local government elections are overseen by the Electoral Commission in each state and territory.The Australian Electoral Commission...
(AEC) and are now easily accessible at the AEC website (current elections only) or at Adam Carr's Election Archive (all elections since 1901).
The modern Handbook contains full biographies of all Members and Senators, details of the Ministry and Shadow Ministry, membership of all Parliamentary committees, statistical information on the composition of the Parliament, summaries of recent election results, the text of the Australian Constitution, results of referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s to change the Constutution, and historical information including the names and career details of all Members and Senators since 1901.
The Handbook is now available in an online edition.