Our education team aim to promote an understanding and appreciation of the role and significance of the Legislative Assembly to ACT citizens and visitors.

Programs and resources are available to all ACT citizens, community groups, schools, vocational education and university students and teachers, public servants, and parliamentary and governmental delegations. All programs and resources are free of charge.

If you have any questions about our programs or want to request a tailored program, contact our friendly education team:

Our visit page offers a comprehensive overview of the Assembly as a venue, location and site safety for visiting groups. It also includes a model risk assessment for school excursions.

Covid-19 precautions

The safety, health and wellbeing of all visitors to the Assembly is our priority. The following restrictions apply:


School Programs

We offer an engaging, free program for schools wishing to visit the Assembly. We also run a number of additional events for secondary students, alongside teacher professional learning.  Information and booking links for each program can be found below, and you can contact us at LAeducation@parliament.act.gov.au with any questions.

Are you looking for lesson and unit plans, or other educational resources? Visit our Resources page.

Program for: Grade 3 to Year 12
Duration: 1-2 hours

We offer FREE programs to ACT schools here at the Assembly. Our excursion program is curriculum aligned, engaging and interactive – the perfect way to immerse your students in civics and citizenship.

Core program

Our core program caters to groups of up to 30 students and runs for one hour. It includes:

  • An interactive exploration of the role and functions of the Legislative Assembly
  • An immersive roleplay where students take on the roles of ministers, members, and clerks to replicate how laws are made in the ACT

Add-ons

The following can be added to your visit:

  • A Q&A session with MLAs where students can ask them about their work, what inspires them, and current issues (approx. 30 minutes)
  • A short guided tour of the Assembly, including the chamber (approx. 30 minutes)

Visits for two hours include a short break for students.

Schools visiting with more than 25 students will be split into two groups and rotate through activities. This means you will need to allow two (2) hours for your visit and select at least one add-on alongside the core program.

If you have any questions, please email us at LAeducation@parliament.act.gov.au.

To book

We can accommodate visits during the ACT school term. Please contact us as early as possible to make sure your preferred dates are available. Bookings must be made no later than a fortnight before your preferred dates.

You'll need to provide the following information when you book:

  • The name, email, and phone number of your visit organiser
  • The name of your school
  • The year level/s and number of students attending
  • Your preferred date, time, and duration of the visit, and
  • Your selected programs (incl. whether it is an excursion or digital incursion)

When you book, we will block your preferred date out in our calendar and reply with a draft program. Once agreed, you booking will be confirmed.

The button may not work if your device doesn't have a default email program. If this happens, please copy the bulleted information above and include it in an email to LAeducation@parliament.act.gov.au.

Program for: Grade 5 to 6 (year 3 to 4 coming later this year)
Duration: 50 minutes
Requirements: Device with camera and microphone that can access Microsoft Teams

Our Education and Engagement team are excited to offer a FREE, interactive, curriculum-aligned, digital excursion for ACT students in years 5 and 6. This program explores:

  • the ACT Legislative Assembly, who works here and what they do;
  • the three levels of government;
  • how laws are made for the ACT; and
  • important symbols and roles in the ACT Legislative Assembly chamber.

If you have any questions or would like to book, please email us at LAEducation@parliament.act.gov.au or call us on 02 6205 3016.

Program for: Year 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 students
Duration: 
Full day, 9am-3pm

Our interschool committee challenge program involves participating in a mock committee inquiry. The program is curriculum-aligned and lets students engage with challenging, current topics while building a variety of skills. Students will critically analyse information, develop an understanding of a range of perspectives on a topic, build their own informed observations and opinions, and negotiate and seek compromise with others. This program provides students with an insight into the committee process here at the Legislative Assembly.

Run in combined year-level groups (7-8, 9-10, 11-12).

Places are limited to 5 schools per session, so get in quick! Our Committee Challenge program is FREE to attend and fully catered. Each school may bring 7 students.

A teacher must accompany students to all education events at the Assembly. Click here to book.

2024 dates

Years 7/8: Friday 16 August

Years 9/10: Friday 21 June

Years 11/12: Friday 31 May

Program for: Year 11. Five students per school, places are limited.
Duration: 1 day (9:00am – 3:00pm)
Date: Thursday 1 August 2023
Location: National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes 2600

Should the Constitution allow territories to have greater representation in the Senate? Students explore this over a one-day-program, with a lecture, workshop, and roleplays. Five students are selected from this event to represent the ACT at the 2025 National Constitutional Convention.

This is a limited number event. A teacher must accompany students to all education events. Click here to book.

Program for: Graduate and proficient career stage teachers
Duration: 3 hours; 9.00am – 12.30pm

We offer TQI-accredited professional development workshops several times a year.

These workshops take you through the essentials of the work of the Legislative Assembly and the Hare-Clark electoral system. You'll meet other civics teachers, share top tips in a round-table session, and take away a USB jam-packed with resources.

To book, click on the Eventbrite links below. Please note you will be taken to the Eventbrite website to complete your booking.

2024 Dates: Wednesday 17 April, Thursday 18 July, and Thursday 20 October.

Print the poster for your school's PD noticeboard

For any enquiries, please email us at LAEducation@parliament.act.gov.au.

Program for: Year 11 & 12. Two students per school, places are limited.
Duration: 1 day (9:00am – 3:00pm)

Spend a day learning about the political system that ties parliaments together, from Canberra to Kigali! Students are immersed in the world of the Westminster system examining how it works in the ACT and abroad through short lectures, role plays, and collaborative research with peers. They will also learn how to be an active citizen in the ACT, participate in a Q&A session with some members of the Assembly.

This is a limited number event. A teacher must accompany students to all education events at the Assembly.

This program is held every 2 years and will be held again in 2025.

Other Programs

We offer a number of programs for members of the public, tertiary students and ACT Government public sector staff. Information and booking links for each program can be found below, and you can contact us at LAeducation@parliament.act.gov.au with any questions.

A range of factsheets, videos, and other educational resources are available too - check out our Resources page.

Tours are held weekly on Thursdays at 1pm. Anyone is welcome to join one of our free public tours of the Assembly building.

The tour takes you behind the scenes, offering an insight into the running of Australia's youngest parliament. Highlights include visiting the committee rooms, seeing items of the Assembly art collection, and experiencing the gravitas of the debating chamber.

On sitting Thursdays, tours will conclude in the chamber at 1.55pm with the option of continuing on to watch question time. When is the next sitting Thursday?

Bookings for individuals or small groups are not required. If you have a medium to large group, we may be able to run a dedicated tour. Please contact us on LAeducation@parliament.act.gov.au

Program for: Anyone 18 years and over
Duration: 9:30am - 1:00pm (catered morning tea included)

Interested in learning more about your Assembly? Our Assembly 101 community seminar explores how the Assembly operates and the roles of its elected members.

You'll get to know how members are elected in the Hare-Clark system with a hands-on mock election, learn about how the Assembly and its committees work, and meet local members in a Q&A panel. When the seminar ends at 1pm, participants are welcome to head off for lunch and then return to watch members in action during question time at 2pm.

Our community seminars are free, catered, and open to anyone in the ACT. Places are limited.

To book, click on the Eventbrite links below. Please note you will be taken to the Eventbrite website to complete your booking.

2024 Dates: Wednesday 26 June and Wednesday 4 September.

Click here to download a print-version poster

For any enquiries, please email us at LAEducation@parliament.act.gov.au.

Program for: ACT Public sector staff
Duration: Half day (9am - 12.30pm)

This half-day seminar explores the processes and practices of the Legislative Assembly.  Participants will learn about:

  • the role and functions of the Legislative Assembly;
  • parliamentary privilege and it’s relevance to public servants;
  • the formal procedures and documents involved in Sitting Days;
  • the legislative process, including a look at the ACT Legislation Register; and
  • the committee system and the inquiry process..

Our public sector seminars are free and open to all ACT Public Sector Staff.

To book, click on the Eventbrite links below. Please note you will be taken to the Eventbrite website to complete your booking.

2024 Dates: Thursday 22 February (BOOKED OUT), Wednesday 12 June, Thursday 19 September, and Thursday 5 December

For any enquiries, please email us at LAEducation@parliament.act.gov.au.

Program for: ACT Public sector staff
Time: 10am 
Duration: 90 minutes
Requirements: Device with camera and microphone that can access Microsoft Teams

This is an online crash course on the processes and practices of the Legislative Assembly.  Participants will learn about:

  • the role and functions of the Legislative Assembly;
  • the formal procedures and documents involved in Sitting Days;
  • the legislative process;
  • the committee system and the inquiry process..

Our online public sector seminars are free and open to all ACT Public Sector Staff.

To book, click on the Eventbrite links below. Please note you will be taken to the Eventbrite website to complete your booking..

2024 Dates: Thursday 14 March, Wednesday 7 August, and Tuesday 5 November

For any enquiries, please email us at LAEducation@parliament.act.gov.au.

Placement opportunities are offered for:

  • school and vocational education students undertaking a school or vocational (CIT) work experience program
  • university students completing programs with an internship requirement (only available to students who are Australian citizens).

School students usually undertake work experience for one week in an MLA's office. Other placements are by negotiation depending on the requirements of the program in which the student is enrolled.

Please note that while placements are offered not all requests may be met and are dependent on the workload of MLAs in the time period requested.

If students are interested in work placements at the Assembly, please contact the Manager, Education and Engagement at LAeducation@parliament.act.gov.au to discuss the possibility of a future placement.


Event dates for 2024

Committee Challenge

  • Year 7-8: Friday 16 August
  • Year 9-10: Friday 21 June
  • Year 11-12: Friday 31 May

Teacher professional learning

  • Wednesday 17 April
  • Thursday 18 July
  • Thursday 10 October

ACT Schools' Constitutional Convention 

  • Thursday 1 August

Public sector seminars

  • Thursday 22 February (Fully booked)
  • Wednesday 12 June
  • Thursday 19 September
  • Thursday 5 December

Digital public sector seminars

  • Thursday 14 March
  • Wednesday 7 August
  • Tuesday 5 November

Public tours

  • Weekly from Thursday 1 February to Thursday 12 December

Assembly 101 (formally community seminars)

  • Wednesday 26 June
  • Wednesday 4 September

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