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Parliamentary Materials

Hansard, submissions to inquiries and evidence to committees under rule 7.5.

AGLC4 rule 7.5 covers materials produced through parliamentary processes, including parliamentary debates (Hansard), submissions to inquiries, and evidence given to parliamentary committees.

These materials are cited differently depending on the type of document.

Parliamentary debates (Hansard)

Hansard is the official record of parliamentary debates. A Hansard citation includes:

  • the jurisdiction;
  • the italicised title Parliamentary Debates;
  • the chamber;
  • the date of the debate;
  • the page number; and
  • the speaker’s name.

Jurisdiction, Parliamentary Debates, Chamber, day month year, page (Speaker).

2Victoria, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, 12 March 2019, 1042 (Helen Carmichael, Minister for Planning).

Naming speakers

When identifying the speaker:

  • do not include titles such as MP or Senator;
  • include a ministerial or shadow ministerial position only where it is relevant.
Correct
(Helen Carmichael, Minister for Planning)
Incorrect
✗ (Helen Carmichael MP)

Second reading speeches

A second reading speech is part of Hansard. It is not cited as an explanatory memorandum.

If you are referring to a minister’s second reading speech, use the parliamentary debates citation format.

Submissions to inquiries

Submissions made to parliamentary or government inquiries are cited using the author, the submission number, the body receiving the submission, the title of the inquiry, the date and the pinpoint reference.

Author, Submission No number to Body, Name of Inquiry (day month year) pinpoint.

17Australian Banking Association, Submission No 47 to Productivity Commission, Inquiry into Data Portability in Financial Services (14 March 2028) 9 [22].

Evidence to committees

Evidence given during a committee hearing is cited differently from written submissions. A citation begins with Evidence and includes:

  • the committee name;
  • the parliament;
  • the location;
  • the date;
  • the page number; and
  • the witness.

Evidence to Committee, Parliament, Place, day month year, page (Witness).

39Evidence to Standing Committee on Imaginary Affairs, Parliament of Testland, Testville, 14 February 2019, 8 (Morag Fenwick, Deputy Secretary).

Quick comparison

MaterialCitation begins withKey information
HansardJurisdictionChamber, date, page, speaker
Inquiry submissionAuthorSubmission number, inquiry, date
Committee evidenceEvidenceCommittee, location, witness

Common mistakes

  • Treating a second reading speech as an explanatory memorandum.
  • Including MP or Senator after a speaker’s name.
  • Forgetting the chamber in a Hansard citation.
  • Citing an inquiry submission as though it were a report.
  • Confusing written submissions with oral committee evidence.

Related Index entries

Hansard (Parliamentary Debates)Written submission to an inquiryEvidence to a parliamentary committeeAustralian Constitutional Convention Debates

Last reviewed 4 August 2026