Question Time has been televised for 35 years. We tracked how it has changed, and what it means for Australian democracy

For around an hour each parliamentary sitting day, the prime minister and other ministers face a flurry of questions from the opposition and other members of parliament. It is often here that debate on the issues of the day becomes most heated, and such is the interest from media and others that anyone can watch it live. As such, Question Time serves a vital function in Australian democracy: it is a highly visible way in which, it is hoped, the government can be held to account. It is also a…