HansART – Interpreting Hansard records

Delve into Australia’s Federal Parliament Hansard records with secondary students through this creative response activity and guided inquiry based exploration.

Draw students’ attention to the power of these records for understanding our past and how words and speeches impact on our future. Engage students in a variety of contemporary themes which keep occurring throughout history.

This resource links to the Civics and Citizenship, History, English and Visual Arts secondary curriculum. Key themes identified to meet the cross-curriculum priorities are:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories
• Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
• Sustainability

The themes, together with an inquiry-based approach, support the development of student’s general capabilities:

• Providing a solid basis for students to analyse information and explore a range of contemporary, regional, national and global issues
• Having the opportunity to research Hansard and explore both sides of contentious issues to form their own opinions and justifications

Downloadable resources

• HansART – Interpreting Hansard Records – Teacher resource (PDF, 4.8MB)
• HansART – Interpreting Hansard Records – Student Workbook (PDF, 280KB)
• Hansard Speeches – An Iconic Building (PDF, 45KB )
• Hansard Speeches – Sport and Culture (PDF, 63KB )
• Hansard Speeches – Women’s Rights (PDF, 61KB )
• Hansard Speeches – The Environment (PDF, 125KB )
• Hansard Speeches – Indigenous Rights (PDF, 78KB)
• Hansard Speeches – Immigration and Refugees (PDF, 81KB)

For additional resources, such as themed ephemera from the MoAD collection and alternately formatted Hansard speeches, please visit the For The Record website.