Information on the facilities for visitors
to the Parliament of Australia from the Department of Parliamentary
Services (in response to a letter from the Clerk of the Administration
Sub-Committee)
1. Although the Australian Parliament House
does have a visitor service function, which provides a guide service
and shop for the public, building occupants and visiting schools,
it does not have a dedicated visitor centre of the type you are
researching. The House is contained to one building only, and
visitors are welcome to either wander around the public areas
by themselves or join a free guided tour once they have passed
through security screening.
2. The guide service is staffed by a manager,
36 part-time guides, three supervisors, and one administrative
assistant, and the shop is staffed by a manager, four permanent
staff and a number of casuals.
3. Although the aim of our service is primarily
to provide visitors to Parliament House with an educational experience
and information on the Parliamentary process, tourist information
is available through brochures distributed through local and regional
tourism information centres, hotels and tourist attractions. It
is also available on the Internet at www.aph.gov.au.
4. Each year, the Australian Parliament
House accommodates approximately one million visitors. Just over
100,000 are school students and the rest are a mix of national
and international tourists.
5. Our school program provides a one hour
guided tour of the building, including time in the chambers, a
classroom activity with the Parliamentary Education Office and
hospitality in the form of a light snack in an area specifically
designed to cope with large numbers of school children.
6. Other services and facilities provided
for our visitors include:
(a) displays and exhibition material related
to the history, role and procedures of the Parliament, which is
distributed throughout the public areas of the building;
(b) a theatrette in which videos of the design,
construction and maintenance of the building are continually played;
(c) an auditorium for the televising of interesting
parliamentary processes or events of national importance;
(d) public tours of the building which leave
the main foyer every 30 minutes. The length of these tours varies
in accordance to the sitting patterns of the Parliament. For example,
tours during sitting days will take 20 minutes due to the increased
number of visitors, and extend to 45 minutes on non-sitting days;
(e) a "Parliament Shop", which
sells Australian made items to the public and occupants;
(g) automatic teller machines;
(h) limited interactive displays on the structure
of the Parliament;
(i) public cafeteria, offering internal and
external seating;
(j) toilets, mothers room and baby change
room;
(k) an information desk in the main foyer;
(l) first aid services; and
(m) wheelchair access to all public areas.
Wheelchairs can be provided.
7. Twice a year, the visitor service areas
conduct a survey of our visitors to ensure that we are providing
an interesting service. Results of the surveys consistently show
an approval rating of around 98%.
8. As well as being the entrance and exist
point for all our visitors, the main foyer is often used by the
Members as a place to greet their constituents. Members of the
Press Gallery are able to interview Members either in courtyards
or in specifically designed studios within the building.
28 August 2006
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