Did you know that Hansard publishes the equivalent of a 200-page book every sitting day? That’s a whole lot of words in a very short time. Let’s dive into the skills needed to become a Hansard Reporter! 

What is Hansard? 

Hansard is the official record of what is said in the Parliament of NSW. Imagine listening to important speeches and writing them down, accurately and quickly. That’s what Hansard Reporters do! Their job is to create a clear, coherent and searchable written record of debates and discussions in the Parliament. 

The deadlines are tight – Hansard reporters need to have each speech fully transcribed, subedited, and published a maximum of three hours after the Member speaks the words in the Chamber.  

A Quick Look at History 

This October, we mark the 145th anniversary of Hansard at the Parliament of NSW. While the purpose and mission of Hansard has remained the same since its inception, how the Hansard record is produced has evolved.  

Originally, Hansard Reporters would copy down speeches in real time, writing in shorthand using pen and paper. As time moved on, so did techniques and tools. Pen and paper were replaced by stenography machines and then computer word processors assisted by respeaking software. Today, the Hansard reporting operations at the Parliament of NSW are fully digital. 

The Process 

Hansard Reporters transcribe the day in 10-minute chunks called “turns”. The term comes from the fact that reporters literally take turns in the Chambers, dividing the day up in these 10-minute segments from beginning to end of the sitting day. Find out more about a day in the life of a Hansard reporter here.  

Key Skills for a Hansard Reporter 

Hansard reporters use special skills to produce an accurate record in a short period of time. Transcription methods used today include respeaking, using closed captions as a base and typing while listening to the audio.  

Some of the skills of Hansard Reporters are:  

• Excellent listener 

• Great typing skills 

• Attention to detail 

• Respeaking 

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Hansard reporter?  

Respeaking 

Using dictation software, the reporter listens to the audio and respeaks the speech into a microphone that converts the speech into text.  

Try it yourself: listen to a speech or song and try to say the words at the same time. How accurate were you? You may need a lot of practice to become as skilled as a Hansard reporter!