Coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Hansard, it is now possible to search online all 723 volumes dating back to 9 July 1867.

The historical search capability is the result of work between the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the University of California, Google Books Library Project and the HathiTrust.

"This is an epic milestone for our written transcripts," says David Wilson, Clerk of the House of Representatives.

"It is exciting to see Hansard - an age-old service in our Parliament - going completely digital. A thriving democracy relies on Parliament's work being accessible, transparent and accountable, and Hansard is central this. Hansard has never been more available to the public and for a 150-year-old institution, that is quite a feat."

Information from the Office of the Clerk on a public awareness survey carried out online with 1000 New Zealanders in May 2017 shows that around one-third of respondents said they knew what Hansard was.

Of those who said they knew about Hansard, 66% were over the age of 60. Only 16% of respondents under the age of 45 said they knew what Hansard was.