Access to information anywhere, anytime, on any device…that’s what the DPS Information Services Division aims to deliver. From the start of the 45th Parliament, on 30 August 2016, another step towards that goal was taken, with a ‘new beginning’ for DPS’ live streaming of parliamentary proceedings. The new Online Video Platform allows proceedings to be accessed live from any device and any operating system, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and desktop computers.

More than 13,000 people tuned in to the enhanced service on the first day of the 45th Parliament.

The enhanced service allows viewers to rewind the live stream by up to five hours. Combined with the progressive roll-out of closed captioning of parliamentary proceedings, the new, high-definition streaming constitutes one of the most advanced and comprehensive parliamentary streaming services in the world.

The enhanced streaming service can be accessed via the ‘Watch Read Listen’ page of the Parliament of Australia website, which means it is now available online to parliamentarians, staffers and the general public. The platform is capable of streaming up to 12 live video channels and 20 audio-only channels, enabling simultaneous streaming of the chambers and numerous committees.

The service is hosted internally and in the cloud. The web streams are distributed world-wide using a content distribution network, making for faster and more reliable streaming for the end user. Users also have the option of saving data by streaming low resolution files or only the audio component of proceedings.

The new, enhanced streaming service replaces the previous Windows-only, Media Player-hosted live streaming service, which operated since 1999.