The Press Gallery
High above the Chambers, the Press Gallery jockeyed for stories and office space.
Location
Upper floor
When
Daily
Cost
Free
From 1927 until 1988, the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery was accommodated in offices and studios above the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers.
Visit the House of Representatives Press Gallery where members of the media seated in the gallery above the Chamber witnessed parliamentary sittings, and then raced back to the cramped offices and studios to file stories and hopefully scoop their rivals.
The Press Gallery observes Prime Minister Bob Hawke addressing the House of Representatives, presided over by Speaker Joan Child, 1986. Photograph National Archives of Australia
The Press Gallery above the House of Representatives at Old Parliament House.
A room in The Press Gallery exhibition recreated to show how this cramped office would have looked in the 1970s/1980s.
Warwick Costin at work in the Press Gallery, undated.
Photograph Museum of Australian Democracy Collection
The recording studio in The Press Gallery exhibition with interactive recording equipment.
Laurie Oakes presenting to camera in the Channel 9 studio in the Press Gallery, about 1984 –1988.
Photograph Museum of Australian Democracy Collection, courtesy of Laurie Oakes
Large graphics line the walls of The Press Gallery exhibition showing key moments in Australian political history captured by the Press Gallery.
Patricia Clarke interviewing two Singaporean diplomatic delegates, about 1950s.
Photograph courtesy Patricia Clarke
Plan your visit
Videos with music and/or speech plays on a loop in some displays. There are soundscapes as you enter some of the spaces. There are listening posts with audio tracks in the gallery overlooking the Chamber.
There are small rooms and narrow corridors. Some rooms may only fit a few people at a time. The Press Gallery landing overlooking the House of Representatives Chamber is very narrow and is not accessible to wheelchair users.
There are two lifts to reach the Press Gallery. The lift dimensions are:
Lower, Main Floor and Upper Floor lift: door width is 90cm; interior dimensions are 157cm long x 136cm wide.
Main Floor (Representatives Opposition Lobby) and Upper Floor lift: door width is 81cm; interior dimensions are 148cm long x 118cm wide.
Some rooms in the exhibition have low lighting.
There is seating in the room showing the Women of the Press Gallery video.
There are opportunities to role play using recording equipment and to select and listen to cassette tapes and move a lever on a timeline.
The Women in the Press Gallery video mentions sexual harassment.
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