Part 5 Parliamentary Library

Overview

Governance

The Parliamentary Service Act 1999 establishes the office of the Parliamentary Librarian, whose primary function is ‘to provide high quality information, analysis and advice to senators and members of the House of Representatives in support of their parliamentary and representational roles’.21 These services are to be delivered:

  1. in a timely, impartial and confidential manner
  2. maintaining the highest standards of scholarship and integrity
  3. on the basis of equality of access for all senators, members of the House of Representatives, parliamentary committees and staff acting on behalf of senators, members or parliamentary committees, and
  4. having regard to the independence of Parliament from the Executive Government of the Commonwealth.22

To help ensure the independence of the Library, the Librarian reports directly to the Presiding Officers and to the Parliament in respect of her statutory functions. The Librarian also reports to the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library (JSCPL) which advises the Presiding Officers on matters relating to the Library.

The Library’s primary clients are senators, members and parliamentary committees. Other client groups include parliamentarians’ staff, staff of the parliamentary departments, and the Governor-General. Service entitlements for all clients are outlined in the Parliamentary Library Statement of Client Services as approved by the JSCPL.

The Parliamentary Library is part of DPS’ Program 1. In the DPS Corporate Plan 2017–18, the Library’s services fall under the strategic theme: ‘Respond to the changing needs of the Parliament’.

Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library

The JSCPL is appointed each Parliament to:

  • consider and report to the Presiding Officers on any matters relating to the Parliamentary Library referred to it by the President or the Speaker
  • provide advice to the President and the Speaker on matters relating to the Parliamentary Library
  • provide advice to the President and the Speaker on an annual Resource Agreement between the Parliamentary Librarian and the Secretary of DPS, and
  • receive advice and reports, including an annual report, directly from the Parliamentary Librarian on matters relating to the Parliamentary Library.

The Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library. Standing (left to right): Senator Moore, Senator Brockman, Mr Zimmerman, Mr Broadbent, Dr Heriot (Committee Secretary); seated (left to right): Ms Stanley, Mr Ramsey (Joint Chair), Senator Lines (Joint Chair), Mr van Manen; inset (left to right): Mr Bryne, Senator Duniam, Dr Freelander, Senator Gichuhi. (Auspic)

The JSCPL for the 45th Parliament was established by motion of the House of Representatives and of the Senate on 1 September 2016 and 12 September 2016 respectively. The following senators and members served on the JSCPL In 2017–18:

  • Mr Rowan Ramsey MP (Joint Chair)
  • Senator Sue Lines (Joint Chair)
  • Senator Slade Brockman (from 17 August 2017)
  • Mr Russell Broadbent MP
  • The Hon Anthony Byrne MP
  • Senator Jonathon Duniam
  • Dr Mike Freelander MP
  • Senator Lucy Gichuhi (from 5 February 2018)
  • Senator Claire Moore
  • Senator James Paterson (to 5 February 2018)
  • Ms Anne Stanley MP
  • Mr Bert van Manen MP
  • Senator John Williams (to 17 August 2017)
  • Mr Trent Zimmerman MP.

The JSCPL met privately on 5 December 2017, 5 February 2018 and 18 June 2018 and considered, inter alia:

  • the client evaluation of Library services for the 45th Parliament
  • the Librarian’s annual report
  • electorate office outreach
  • a review of the Library’s key performance indicators
  • Library Census-related services
  • strategic digital priorities, and
  • correspondence to the committee.

Structure

The Parliamentary Library comprises the Parliamentary Librarian and the employees of DPS assisting her.23 The Library’s Executive is:

  • Dr Dianne Heriot, Parliamentary Librarian
  • Mr Jonathan Curtis, Assistant Secretary, Research Branch, and
  • Ms Liz Luchetti, Assistant Secretary, Library Collections and Databases Branch.

The Library’s structure comprises:

  • Office of the Parliamentary Librarian—a small unit consisting of the Parliamentary Librarian, three Library executive support officers, the Library Publishing Unit and the Director, Client Relations, who provides orientation and training services for parliamentarians, their staff and other parliamentary staff
  • Research Branch—which provides information, research and analytical services including individually commissioned research, publications and statistical and mapping services, and
  • Library Collections and Databases Branch—which develops and manages access to the Library’s print and electronic resources. The Branch also manages the main Library reference desk and the Senators’ and Members’ Reading Room.

Figure 5: Parliamentary Library Organisation Chart (as at 30 June 2018)

This is an organisation chart showing the structure of the Parliamentary Library as at 30 June 2018. The Library reports directly to the Presiding Officers. The Library also reports to the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library. The Parliamentary Librarian is Dianne Heriot. The Library is divided into three branches. They are the Library Collections and Databases Branch, Office of the Parliamentary Librarian and the Research Branch. The Assistant Secretary of the Library Collections and Databases Branch is Liz Luchetti. The Library Collections and Databases Branch has three sections. They are: Collection Management; Central Enquiry Point; and Database and Media Services. The Director of Collection Management is Vacant. The Director of Central Enquiry Point is Leo Terpstra. The Acting Director of Database and Media Services is Grisoula Giopoulos. The Office of the Parliamentary Librarian (Client Relations and Web Publishing) has one section which is Client Relations. The Director of Client Relations is Joanne James. The Research Branch has seven sections. They are: Economics; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security; Law and Bills Digests; Politics and Public Administration; Science, Technology, Environment and Resources; Social Policy; and Statistics and Mapping. The Assistant Secretary of the Research Branch is Jonathan Curtis. The Director of Economics is Jonathan Chowns. The Director of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security is Nigel Brew. The Director of Laws and Bills Digests is Michele Brennan. The Director of Politics and Public Administration is Nicholas Horne. The Director of Science, Technology, Environment and Resources is Roger Beckmann. The Director of Social Policy is Luke Buckmaster. The Director of Statistics and Mapping is Sue Johnson.

Footnotes:

21 Parliamentary Service Act 1999, subsection 38B(1).

22 Parliamentary Service Act 1999, subsection 38B(2).

23 Parliamentary Service Act 1999 subsection 38A(2).