We recently asked Nathan, one of our Tour Guides and Chamber Support officers, some questions about their work at the Parliament of NSW. 

What is your role in the Parliament?   

I currently work as a Tour Guide and Chamber Support officer with the Legislative Assembly. The Chamber Support team are the front facing staff of the Legislative Assembly and are vital to the everyday functioning of Parliament House. This involves giving tours to school students and members of the public on non-sitting days as well as assisting at the front desk near the main entrance to the building. On a sitting day, you might find me at the front desk, in the public galleries, or possibly on the floor of the Legislative Assembly assisting with the needs of members and the Speaker.

 

What kind of background, qualifications and attributes do you need to do your job?  

There are several different backgrounds that could lead you to working with the team. I myself have come from a background in Secondary Education, but others have come from different public facing institutions. I’d say one of the most important attributes is having a willingness to assist other people, as that is the most common element of our job. Another is to have an interest, or at least an understanding of Parliamentary institutions and the manner in which they operate. You’ll also need to memorise all 93 members!

 

Could you describe a typical day at work?  

There isn’t necessarily a typical day, as sitting days can be anything and everything. Generally speaking, I might help with setting up some of the rooms for functions in the morning, or perhaps with the setup of the chamber. For Question time I might be in the Public Gallery with a school group, or members’ guests, although sometimes I’m on the floor delivering messages from advisers to members. Throughout the rest of the day I’ll tend to rotate between the front desk (where I assist with appointments for members as well as the cloaking of items for those that want to go in the galleries), chamber duties (collecting notes for Hansard, filling up waters, communicating with members, and assisting the Speaker), or room set up.

On a non-sitting day, we could have anywhere between 1 to 7 tours throughout the day. I might deliver anywhere between 1 to 3 tours for schools, Probus groups, members of the Public or other specialist groups. It’s all quite enjoyable!

 

What’s your favourite thing about seeing students and teachers visiting Parliament House? 

It’s always such a joy to watch the reactions of the school students when they see the Legislative Assembly chamber for the first time. They’re always amazed with how it looks and they’re often fascinated by how old everything is. When we do the Role play of a Bill passing through the houses, it’s great to see the students and teachers getting involved with the debate as well. It’s incredibly important for future generations to understand the role of representative democracy and for them to feel as though they really do have a say in how things occur.

 

You have a special interest in the Legislative Assembly and WWI. Could you tell us a little about that?

I’ve always had an interest in the First and Second World War and the immense sacrifices made by the people of those generations. My grandfather served in the Second World War and my great-grandfather in the First World War. When I began working here at Parliament, I was intrigued by the memorial plaque in the Legislative Assembly chamber to two members of Parliament. George Braund and Ted Larkin were both killed in Gallipoli whilst also serving as members of Parliament. It’s really the truest sacrifice a public servant could possibly make. From there, I wondered how many other members had served in the war and began to do some research. I was quite fortunate to be able to present some of my research findings in the Legislative Assembly chamber on 10 November 2025.

You can now watch the Legislators at War lecture. It was part of the Remembrance Day commemorations in 2025 organised by the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales and with the support of the Speaker, the Hon. Greg Piper, member for Lake Macquarie. The lecture took place in the Legislative Assembly Chamber where 110 years earlier the memorial plaque to George Braund and Ted Larkin was unveiled on 30 November 1915.