Government and Parliamentary publications are an important part of the community's resources. They include reports on matters of current interest, annual reports of government agencies, legislation and regulations, and Hansard, the verbatim record of Parliament.
The Library endeavours to collect a complete record of government and parliamentary material for South Australia, the majority of material for the Australian Parliament and selected items for Parliaments of other States and Territories.
Whilst some of these publications are available to browse on open access, others may need to be retrieved from storage.
Much of this material can now be found online, and we have provided these links where possible.
Speak to Library staff for help locating the resources you are seeking. For lengthy enquiries, you can Ask Us.
GovPubs: the Australian Government Publications Guide is a National Library website that details relevant holdings in Australian State libraries. Whilst this website is no longer updated and has some out of date information it can be a useful starting point for negotiating these, often complex, collections. Check with an individual library to confirm their holdings.
State Records of South Australia
State Records of South Australia is the government archives of South Australia and holds a large part of the state's official documentary heritage. They hold records covering almost every facet of state and local government administration within South Australia, providing valuable insight and knowledge about the lives of South Australians. The State Records collection holds many maps, plans, registers, films and photographs, in addition to thousands of documents dating from the earliest days of European settlement to recent times."
With ArchivesSearch you can search information about their collection of official State and Local Government records. You can also order records online for viewing at the Gepps Cross Research Centre.
National Archives of Australia (NAA)
The NAA collection contains records about key events and decisions that have shaped Australian history. The collection mainly includes Australian Government records from Federation in 1901 to now. Records come from Australian Government and include those about immigration, military service, transport, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the environment, communications, security and intelligence, foreign affairs, the arts and more. They also hold important 19th-century records about colonial activities that transferred to the Australian Government after Federation. These include: customs, patents, defence, lighthouses, naturalisation, shipping, postal and telegraphic services.
The NAA South Australian Research centre is located in the Somerville Reading Room of the State Library. (Opening hours) Read this to prepare for your visit.
A handbook outlining Commonwealth government records about South Australia was released in late 2013 and can be downloaded free from the NAA website here. You can search their collection via RecordSearch and enter research enquiries and retrieval requests via their online enquiry form..
The Library holds a facsimile collection of British Parliamentary Papers concerning Australia. They provide valuable historical sources on penal settlement in Australia as well as early correspondence relating to South Australia including the Colonization Commissioners early reports.
Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP)
The AJCP is a collection of unique historical material relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific dating from 1560 to 1984.
Records filmed by the AJCP include a diverse range of material from UK Government Departments such as the Admiralty, Home Office, Colonial Office, the Dominions Office held by The National Archives of the UK and County Record Offices as well as personal archives and manuscripts of leading politicians, explorers, scientists, religious and missionary societies, convicts and businesses held by private organisations or individuals.
Detailed descriptions and digitised images of all records filmed by the AJCP are available through online finding aids via the National Library's website. Specific searches on collections, personal, family and organisational names and subjects can also be done through Trove.
The State Library holds a selection of AJCP microfilms in the Family History area. See our guide for more information.
Parliament House, South Australia c. 1890.
B 13284.
