Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives

Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives

Context

The Office of the Clerk (the Office) is the legislature's secretariat. It assists the Clerk of the House to provide advice on parliamentary law and procedures, and professional assistance and administrative services to the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives.

The Office has responsibilities for presenting information about the proceedings of Parliament to the public and for making information available about how Parliament goes about its functions.

Clerk of the House E-government Initiatives

• New website development for Parliamentary agencies
• e-Committee

Summary

Ready Access: The Office's website was not assessed by 30 June 2004 as it was being reviewed. The Office provides ready access to its information and services through the government portal.

Alignment: The Office uses the Internet effectively to manage information within the Parliamentary complex and to make it accessible to the public. The Internet is now fundamental to the delivery of services. A website redevelopment, tailored for the needs of the user, will improve access to information and services.

Internet and Communications Technology

Most of the Office's information is now available on the Internet. A review and redesign of the main website is scheduled. The Office intends to make the website more user friendly and to clarify the functions of Parliament. The new website will incorporate the Office, the Speaker's Office and the Parliamentary Service.

People can use the Office's website to access the Order Paper, progress of bills, bills before select committees, the Journal, Questions for Written Answer (QWA), and Hansard.

For two years Hansard has been available on the Internet. Uncorrected Hansard Advances are typically released two or three days after the debate in the House of Representatives. People can find Hansard records from before 2003 online through a private sector business, for a fee.

The Office has a number of Internet based systems that have replaced paper-based manual systems. For example, members use an Internet based system to electronically lodge their QWA. Ministers' offices enter or attach replies that are then published to the website. An email is sent to the member to notify them.

In future QWA could be extended to directly include government agencies so that Minister's questions can be answered more efficiently. Including agencies in QWA would enable better tracking of questions being answered.

Another e-government initiative is the e-Committees Project. e-Committees is an ongoing project to help manage submissions. Ideally, e-Committees will negate the need for 25 paper copies of each submission, and provide a degree of online analysis of submissions. The Office is currently piloting the project in two committees.

Ready Access to Information and Services

Metadata

The Office has 49 metadata records. These records are at a fairly specific level of detail. There is good coverage of the agency's information and services. In general, metadata titles and descriptions of services are clearly written. The Office should continue to review metadata on a regular basis to ensure that it is up-to-date and accurate.

Website Assessment

The Office's website was not assessed, due to Parliament reviewing its Internet sites at the same time as the website evaluations.

Alignment With E-government Goals

Convenience and Satisfaction

Parliament's need to have convenient and timely access to information is being achieved using the Internet. The Office's existing Internet systems provide a good level of access to information for MP's and Ministers, and the public, libraries and law firms. A redesigned website will improve people's access to information the Office provides.

The Office has introduced a number of Internet based systems - including QWA - during the last few years. These have facilitated information management between the Office, Members of Parliament, and Ministers. Online authentication, using digital signatures, is necessary for these Internet systems to work.

Integration and Efficiency

The Office is developing technology standards to integrate services it and other Parliamentary agencies provide. The website review that will integrate information from the Office, the Speaker's Office and the Parliamentary Service will require technology and information standards.

Internally, the Office has developed standards to make its e-government initiatives work. For example, the Business Event Recording and Tracking (BERT) database required the development of standards for data entry, training and coordinating and testing developments. BERT is used for the production of the Order Paper and the Parliamentary Bulletin.

Participation

Although the office does not yet use the Internet to facilitate online consultation, people can access contact details for Members of Parliament, including email addresses.

It is easy for people to stay informed about what is going on in Parliament on an almost daily basis, because up to date information, such as Hansard records, are available online. Online contact details make it easy for people to contact the Office or a Member of Parliament if they wish to be more involved.