Introduction |
| 1.1 |
These guidelines are issued by the Presiding Officers. They apply to all filming and photography in Parliament House with the exception of the guidelines for still photography of proceedings in the chambers; separate guidelines apply to each chamber. Where the terms “film” or “filming” appear in the guidelines, they encompass video recording, other filming technologies and still photography, and include the use of digital technology. Where access is limited to members of the federal parliamentary Press Gallery, Auspic and/or parliamentary officers, it is noted in the guidelines. |
| 1.2 |
This document also includes general guidelines relevant to members of the Press Gallery in Parliament House. |
Filming for private purposes |
| 2.1 |
Visitors to the building are welcome to film in public areas provided the film is for private purposes and is not to be published. No filming is permitted in the chambers during proceedings. |
Filming intended for broadcasting or publication |
Press Gallery members |
Public areas of the building |
| 3.1.1 |
Filming is permitted in public areas (except in the vicinity of the chamber galleries). This guideline is intended to facilitate the work of members of the Press Gallery covering public events in the public areas of the building. It is expected that every effort will be made by members of the Press Gallery to protect the privacy of individuals. |
Private areas of the building |
| 3.1.2 |
Filming is permitted in television studios, private rooms with the explicit permission of the occupants and rooms/areas in which press conferences are permitted. Apart from these circumstances, all filming in private areas of the building requires permission. Detailed guidelines are attached at Appendix 1. |
Filmmakers who are not members of the Press Gallery |
| 3.2 |
Commercial filmmakers, other than members of the Press Gallery, wishing to use public or private areas of Parliament House may do so only with the explicit authority of the Presiding Officers. They should apply in the first instance to the Visitors Services Section of the Joint House Department. The guidelines at Appendix 1 cover filming by non Press Gallery members in both private and public areas of the building. |
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Filming of parliamentary proceedings |
Television and radio recording of proceedings |
| 4.1.1 |
Television filming in the chambers is the responsibility exclusively of the Department of the Parliamentary Reporting Staff (DPRS). Guidelines for DPRS camera operators in the chambers are at Appendix 2. |
| 4.1.2 |
The live television "feed" of proceedings in both chambers is broadcast directly to offices in Parliament House, including Press Gallery offices, to various other agencies and institutions, and to the "Transact" cable network. |
| 4.1.3 |
DPRS maintains video and audio records of proceedings. They will generally be made available for rebroadcasting when they are required for fair and factual reporting of proceedings. |
| 4.1.4 |
Rules regarding rebroadcasting of proceedings are to be found in the volume of Standing Orders of each House. Copies are available from the Serjeant-at-Arms (for the House of Representatives) and the Usher of the Black Rod (for the Senate). |
Still photography in the chambers during proceedings |
| 4.2.1 |
Visitors and members of the public are not permitted to take cameras into the chamber galleries during proceedings. Generally, only accredited members of the Press Gallery and Auspic photographers are permitted to take still photographs of proceedings. If other journalists have a particular need to take still photographs of proceedings they will require the specific approval of the relevant Presiding Officer. The rules for still photography in the chambers are at Appendices 3 and 4. |
General guidelines for Press Gallery members |
| Areas "off limits" to the Press |
| 5.1.1 |
Members of the Press Gallery may not linger in the corridors in the vicinity of the Cabinet Room or party rooms. In these areas, members of the Press Gallery may not seek to engage Senators or Members in conversation. As a general rule, members of the Press Gallery wishing to speak with a Senator or Member should make an appointment by telephone. |
| 5.1.2 |
Members of the Press Gallery are not permitted to enter the Members' and Guests' Dining Room on sitting days (unless invited to do so by a Senator or Member, and not for filming/photography purposes). |
| 5.1.3 |
Journalists, photographers and camera crews must not stand at the entrances to Parliament House so as to impede the access of Senators, Members or others to the building. They must comply with the directions of security staff at the entrances. |
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Visitors and dress standards |
| 6.1 |
Members of the Press Gallery sponsoring admission of visitors into Parliament House are responsible for those visitors until they leave the building. If those visitors are representatives of media organisations, the sponsor is responsible for advising the visitors of these conditions. |
| 6.2 |
Visiting media representatives may be given permission to sit in either of the chamber press galleries. The permission is given by the Serjeant-at-Arms or Usher of the Black Rod for the respective chamber, on the recommendation of the President of the Press Gallery. If permission is given, an entry card must be collected from the Serjeant's or Black Rod's office as relevant, and this card must be produced for inspection by security or messengerial attendants in the galleries if requested. The visitor must also wear the visitor's pass issued at the entrance to the building. |
| 6.3 |
Members of the press when in the press gallery of the House of Representatives chamber should maintain the standards of dress adopted by the majority of Members when attending in the chamber. In the Senate press gallery, members of the Press Gallery are not required to wear coats. |
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Guidelines for filming in Parliament House (where the film or photograph is intended for broadcast or publication) |
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These guidelines apply to members of the Press Gallery when filming in private areas of the building and to other photographers/camera operators in all parts of the building. They must be read in conjunction with section 3 of these guidelines.
- In these guidelines “film” or “filming” includes video recording, filming and still photography.
- These guidelines apply to members of the federal parliamentary Press Gallery and to others wanting to film for the purpose of broadcasting or publishing their work.
- Members of the Press Gallery do not need specific permission to film public events in public areas of the building.
- Persons who are not members of the Press Gallery and who intend broadcasting or publishing their work need specific permission to film anywhere in the building.
- Filming of public hearings of parliamentary committees requires the consent of the committee.
- Filming is permitted at press conferences held in committee rooms and other areas used for press conferences including the courtyards.
- Filming in private offices requires the permission of the Member or Senator who occupies the office. Filming access to other areas is at the discretion of the responsible person (e.g. a proposal to film in the Cabinet Room should be arranged with the Prime Minister's office, and in party rooms, with the relevant Whip's office).
- Filming in all other private areas of the building under joint control requires the permission of both Presiding Officers. The Speaker's permission is required for filming on the House of Representatives side of the building and the President's permission for filming on the Senate side. Requests for permission to film should be made in the first instance to the Serjeant-at-Arms and/or the Usher of the Black Rod.
- The Presiding Officers will consider filming proposals on a case by case basis, taking into account the following:
- the privacy of Members of Parliament, staff and visitors to the building should be protected and the specific permission of any person being filmed should be sought;
- filming should not interfere with the operations of the Parliament and/or the people who work in the building;
- filming of security facilities will not be permitted;
- filming will not be approved for political party advertising or election campaigns; satire or ridicule; or commercial sponsorship or commercial advertising;
- the Department of the Parliamentary Reporting Staff is solely responsible for the television filming of proceedings in the two chambers.
- Decisions on whether to approve a filming proposal will take account of the public importance and value of the project. In assessing the value of a particular project, the following will be considered:
- whether the project has a genuine educational purpose from the perspective of students and scholars;
- whether the project serves a news and/or information purpose; and
- whether the project serves a cultural purpose (including films or television series that may be produced for commercial purposes).
- Filming which would be likely to offend broadly accepted community norms will not be approved.
- Broad approval of a project is unlikely to be given. Specific approval should be sought for each individual segment of filming and a responsible parliamentary officer should be in attendance to ensure compliance with the terms of the approval.
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Guidelines for DPRS camera operators in the chambers |
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- As a general principle, the on-air camera should be directed toward the Member/Senator having the call.
- Panning shots are permitted for the purpose of showing Members/Senators listening to debate.
- Reaction shots of Senators/Members are permitted:
- when the Senator/Member has sought information which is being supplied by a Senator/Member having the call; or
- when the Member/Senator is referred to in debate.
- If exchanges between Members/Senators are too rapid to permit normal camera switching, a wide shot of the Members/Senators involved is permitted.
- Disturbances in the galleries are not to be covered.
- Directions of the relevant Presiding Officer and his or her delegate in relation to the operations of the sound and vision equipment in the Senate or House of Representatives are to be observed.
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Guidelines for still photography in the House of Representatives chamber by members of the Press Gallery |
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Access to the proceedings of the House of Representatives for still photography is subject to an undertaking to comply with the following arrangements and conditions:
(a) Still photographic access to the proceedings of the House of Representatives is limited to photographers who are members of the federal parliamentary Press Gallery and AUSPIC and whose names are registered prior to a sitting fortnight with the Serjeant-at-Arms.
(b) The maximum number of still photographers permitted in the public galleries at any time is five.
(c) Still photography is permitted:
(i) during Question Time;
(ii) during significant speeches or debates; and
(iii) at other times when approved by the Speaker and notified by the Serjeant-at-Arms.
(d) Photographs and associated captions and editorial comment published under these arrangements should relate directly to the circumstances in the chamber when the photographs were taken. Where photographs are not published in context (for example are used in non-specific reports), captions should identify the original general context in which the photographs were taken).
(e) Photographs taken under these arrangements should be used only for the purposes of fair, accurate and appropriate reports of proceedings. Photographs shall not be used for:
(i) political party advertising or election campaigns;
(ii) satire or ridicule; or
(iii) commercial sponsorship or commercial advertising.
(f) Telephoto lens photography must not show any Member closer than at "head and shoulders" distance.
(g) No close-up photograph of Members' papers is permitted.
(h) Photographs of persons in the galleries are not permitted, the only exception being photographs of distinguished visitors at the time they are being welcomed on behalf of the House by the Chair.
(i) Photographs of disturbances by visitors or any other persons or unparliamentary behaviour are not permitted.
(j) The use of flash or other sources of additional light and motor driven cameras is not permitted.
(k) As a general principle, photographers should be as unobtrusive as possible and not disturb the view of visitors in the galleries.
(i) Photographers shall observe the instructions of the Speaker or the Speaker's delegate. The Speaker reserves the right to determine whether a photograph taken in accordance with these guidelines is in keeping with the dignity of the House. In regard to this condition, if a photographer is in doubt about a photograph taken in the chamber, the onus is on him/her to consult the Speaker's office, through the Serjeant-at-Arms, before either publishing the photograph or giving a copy of the photograph (developed or undeveloped) to any person.
(m) Access to the gallery by the photographer and/or the newspaper concerned may be withdrawn for non-compliance with these arrangements.
• For the first breach—seven sitting days.
• For any further breach—at the discretion of the Speaker up to the life of the Parliament.
Note: Draft amended guidelines for still photography of proceedings in the House of Representatives chamber were circulated to the press gallery in April and September 2001. The amendments would have provided uniform guidelines for the House of Representatives and the Senate. In February 2002, the Speaker announced that the revised guidelines would not be implemented pending further consultation and consideration. For the foreseeable future, therefore, the guidelines outlined on pp. 9—10 of this document will apply in the House of Representatives chamber. |
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Guidelines for still photography in the Senate chamber |
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Access to the proceedings of the Senate by still photographers is subject to an undertaking to comply with the following conditions. |
| 1. |
Photographers must be current members of the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery or employees of Auspic whose names and the organisations they represent are registered with the Usher of the Black Rod. Access by other members of the media may be arranged on a case by case basis. |
| 2. |
Not more than five photographers may be in the galleries at one time. |
| 3. |
Photography is permitted:
3.1 during Question Time; and
3.2 at other times when explicitly approved by the President. |
| 4. |
Photographs may be used only for the purposes of fair and accurate reports of proceedings and shall not be used for:
4.1 political party advertising or election campaigns;
4.2 satire or ridicule;
4.3 commercial sponsorship or advertising. |
| 5. |
The Senator with the call must be the focus of photographs, with the exception of general photographs of the whole chamber. |
| 6. |
Photographs taken with telephoto lenses must only show the Senator with the call, and must be no closer than "head and shoulders". |
| 7. |
Telephoto lenses must not be used to inspect Senators' documents or computer screens. Close up photographs may not be taken of a Senator's documents or computer screen. |
| 8. |
Photographs may not be taken of persons in the galleries, with the exception of distinguished visitors at the time that they are welcomed to the Senate by the Chair. |
| 9. |
Photographs of unparliamentary behaviour or disturbances in the galleries are not permitted. |
| 10. |
Additional lighting may not be used. |
| 11. |
Directions of the President and his or her delegate in relation to these conditions shall be observed. |