Role

The Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) is one of four parliamentary departments which together comprise the Parliamentary Service. DPS supports the functions of the Australian Parliament and the work of parliamentarians through the provision of professional services, advice and facilities, the ongoing maintenance of Australian Parliament House (APH) and makes the building, and the important activity that takes place within it, accessible. DPS reports to the Presiding Officers of the Parliament (the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives).

Activities

In 2016–17 DPS undertook many activities to support the Australian Parliament including:

• 1,342 hours of parliamentary proceedings in the Senate, House of Representatives and Federation Chamber were recorded and transcribed
• 2020 ICT support desk responded to 60,836 contacts, this comprised of 46,313 phone calls and 14,523 combined emails, self-service requests and walk-ins
• more than 759,000 visitors were welcomed through the doors
• since January 2017, the new in-house catering and event management service has served 135,000 coffees, 10,104 freshly made pies and sausage rolls and 8,311 sandwiches and hosted 320 functions in APH
• over 5,100 square metres of carpet were replaced and 66,000 square metres of painting was undertaken
• 19 suites were refurbished
• wall tiles in 23 toilets were replaced
• 210 furniture items (Status A & B) were conserved or refurbished
• DPS Maintenance Help Desk responded to 8,898 calls for assistance, and
• Parliamentary Security Service (PSS) supported 18 official Guest-of-Government and Guest-of-Parliament visits, and screened more than 10,000 people entering APH on Budget Day.