What is the parliamentary press gallery?
The Parliamentary Press Gallery is made up of approximately 250 journalists and related staff working for media agencies inside Parliament House. They are housed in offices and studios on the second floor of Parliament House where the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and several commercial networks operate dedicated television and radio studios. Many of Australia’s major newspapers also work out of large offices in the press gallery. In addition approximately 150 other members of the press access the press gallery from time to time. The main work of parliamentary journalists is to report and photograph the daily business of the Parliament and of the government. Journalists sit in the press gallery of the House of Representatives and the Senate during debates to collect information before publishing. The media are free to select the news and write about what they think are the most important events of the day.
