We asked Senior Broadcast Specialist, Lee Reid about her work with the Parliament of NSW.  Here’s what she told us:  

What is the role of the Audiovisual and Broadcast team? 

The Audiovisual and Broadcast team look after all technical gear for events and live streams at NSW Parliament. This includes the organisation, coordination and operation of the AVB gear, such as cameras, microphones, projectors, TV screens, all the way down to the timers used for debates. Of course, we also look after the stream itself leaving the building and landing on your computer screen! 

Could you describe a typical sitting day in the life of a team member?  

On a sitting day you are most likely to see us rushing in the hallway between chambers and event spaces performing all our checks. We are often found with our hands in a cupboard full of cables troubleshooting any issues we’ve found. Either way, it’s very unlikely to find us sitting at our desks! 

After all our checks are complete, we operate the audio and video feed of the chambers on the live stream, including the best mix and level of all the microphones and selecting the camera with the best view, framing it as accurately as possible and cutting it to air. If you can picture a moment in question time where it gets quite boisterous, I’m sure you can imagine how incredibly fast-paced our role can be! Complete attention and speedy reaction times are key. 

We also control the speakers in the chambers so all the members can hear each other as clearly as possible. They are quite large rooms and it’s important they can all hear each other as needed. 

We aim to give the best experience possible to the members in the chamber and for everyone watching! 

How does your work differ if it’s not a sitting day at Parliament?  

We are always kept busy with other events and committees in particular. Members don’t stop work just because they’re not in the chamber – we control the broadcast of the committees as well and the AV for other events held at NSW Parliament. 

What is one thing that most people don’t know about working in the Audiovisual and Broadcast team? 

The cameras do not control themselves! We operate using robotic cameras, which means they are controlled remotely by an operator in one of our control rooms. You won’t see someone standing behind and moving the cameras in the chamber, they’re all being operated by one person in a separate space. 

What do you love about working at Parliament House? 

The culture and the feeling of purpose. Everyone at NSW Parliament is so friendly and welcoming. You can’t help but get caught up in the kindness of everyone working across all spaces. I also feel as though we work for a good cause – broadcast of these events is an important part of democracy and increases accessibility for all.