This guide has been produced by The Salvation Army Policy and Advocacy Team to help supporters to contact their local representatives.

Australia has three levels of government – federal, state (or territory) and local. The policy areas currently covered by The Salvation Army are issues which broadly fall within the remit of the federal government as well as state (or territory governments). Given the prominence of the federal government, The Salvation Army recommends contacting your local federal member of parliament (members of the house of representatives and/or the senate) first.

Contact details for federal parliamentarians can be found below:

• House of Representatives – Find your electorate
• Senate – List of senators

If you do not wish to contact a state (or territory) member, please skip to step 3.

Search for your local member for each state/territory government.

Addressing correspondence to a politician can be tricky. Some politicians have the honorific term ‘The Hon.’ in front of their name. Other members might be doctors, professors, Queens Counsels or have a received an Australian Honour — such as an Order of Australia or a Conspicuous Service Cross. In some jurisdictions, members may have  ‘MP’ at the end of their name while others will use ‘MLA’, ‘MLC’ or even ‘MHA’.

In order to address politicians correctly, The Salvation Army recommends finding the politician’s online profile. This should be relatively straightforward as all parliaments and councils generally have a website (refer to step 1 and step 2). You can also enter the name of the parliament or council into an online search engine, e.g. ’New South Wales Parliament’, ‘The Senate’ and follow the prompts to find a member’s profile.

For federal members of parliament, you can visit this useful web page on addressing senators and members.

A list of mailing address, by jurisdiction, can also be found below.

Australian Capital Territory
Legislative Assembly

New South Wales
Legislative Assembly | Legislative Council

Northern Territory
Legislative Assembly

Queensland
Legislative Assembly

South Australia
House of Assembly | Legislative Council

Tasmania
House of Assembly | Legislative Council

Victoria
Legislative Assembly | Legislative Council

Western Australia
Legislative Assembly | Legislative Council

Tips and Tricks

Be civil, clear and concise. Correspondence with members of parliament should be civil, clear and concise. We all get frustrated with politicians sometimes. This is natural. Politicians cannot be everything to everyone in a diverse country like Australia. There are times when you will be frustrated with a decision a politician takes. However, it is always best to engage civilly.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 ESV

Addressing a politician

‘The Hon’ is an honorific title and is the abbreviated form of the words ‘The Honorable’. This term is used in many countries with a Westminster system of government.

In all jurisdictions, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory, ministers should be referred to as ‘The Hon.’

      The Hon. Scott Morrison MP
      Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston
      The Hon Gabrielle Williams MP
      The Hon Dr Anthony Lynham MP

All members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, the South Australian Legislative Council, the Tasmanian Legislative Council and the Western Australian Legislative Council should also be addressed as ‘The Hon.’

      The Hon. Tara Moriarty MLC

Former ministers may also keep the title ’The Hon.’ depending on the jurisdiction in which they served and the position they held. In order to address your correspondence, The Salvation Army recommends finding that member’s profile on the relevant parliamentary website.

If ‘The Hon.’ is not used, then the correct salutation should be used

      Mr. Andrew Barr MLA
      Dr. Jim Chalmers MP
      Ms. Ged Kearney MP