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Recent Security Circulars |
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| Parliament House slip road bollard operating times [PDF 394KB] |
| Temporary closures - Olympic Torch Relay - Thursday 24 April 2008 [PDF 126KB] - see MAP [PDF 1.6KB] |
| Emergency Evacuation Exercise-Wednesday 2 April 2008 [PDF 188KB] |
| Security Evacuation Exercises - 2008 [PDF 100KB] |
| Reminder of Changes to Parliament Drive [PDF 865KB] |
| Conversion to one-way road [PDF 79KB] |
The objective of parliamentary security is to provide a secure and accessible Parliament for the people of Australia.
Responsibilities
Section 6 of the Parliamentary Precincts Act 1988 vests the Presiding Officers, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives with joint responsibility for the development and implementation of security policy.
Security staff
Security personnel operating within Parliament House are members of the Parliamentary Security Service (PSS) while external patrols are drawn from the Australian Federal Police - Uniform Protection (AFP-UP)
PSS staff control access, security screening and security at all Parliament House entrances and in the public and private areas of the building. PSS staff wear distinctive uniforms of black trousers or slacks, white shirts (with black epaulettes) and black coats. The coats and shirts have a gold 'coat of arms' security service badge
APS officers are responsible for maintaining security in the Parliamentary Precincts, the exterior of the building and the Ministerial Wing. Their uniform is black trousers or slacks, light blue shirts (with blue epaulettes) and black coats or jackets. Their shirts and jackets have AFP badges.
Security procedures
Entry to public areas of Parliament House is through the main front door of the building between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Sunday during non-sitting periods. Hours of entry are extended during sitting periods to enable citizens to view their elected representatives at work in the chambers.
All members of the public, as well as Senators, Members, all parliamentary staff and other building occupants and visitors are security screened at all entrances to the building, as a condition of entry. Screening involves the use of static and handheld magnetometers. Handbags and other personal possessions are subjected to examination by X-ray machines.
Public areas of the building and certain other areas are subject to surveillance by closed circuit television cameras.
Items not permitted
No one is permitted to carry weapons of any kind into Parliament House without the express permission of the Presiding Officers.
PSS staff are instructed to confiscate items classed as prohibited weapons, which may be attempted to be carried into the building. They will not be returned to their owners and will be handed to the police for disposal.
Other items, such as sharp implements like scissors and knives, are not permitted to be brought into the building by members of the public. They are to be cloaked by security officers and a receipt issued. These items may be collected from the security cloaking area when visitors leave the building, by presenting the receipt.
Observing proceedings
If a visitor wishes to observe proceedings in either Chamber the Senate or the House of Representatives - the visitor will be required to pass through additional security screening before entering a public gallery.
PSS staff can examine the contents of any handbags before their bearer enters the Chamber galleries as a condition of entry.
Mobile phones and cameras are not permitted in either Chamber. These must be cloaked at the cloaking area in the central public gallery on the first floor. Security staff will issue a receipt for any items cloaked. Cloaked items may be claimed on production of the receipt.
The rules of conduct for the public galleries are displayed at entrances. They are designed to allow proceedings to take place without disruption and no protest activity of any kind may be carried out in the galleries.
Any breaches of the rules results in the person responsible being asked to either remain silent, to leave or to be forcibly removed.
Certain dress rules also apply to the galleries of both Chambers. PSS staff may refuse entry to persons whose dress does not comply with these rules.
Access to private areas visitor passes
Guests of Senators, Members or parliamentary passholders may gain entry into the private areas of Parliament House by a Day Visitor's Pass. There are two types of Day Visitor Pass "Escorted Visitor Pass" and "Unaccompanied Pass". Issue of these passes requires the sponsorship of a Senator, Member or a parliamentary photographic pass holder.
Escorted Visitor's Passes should be requested by sponsors unless there are compelling reasons, not necessarily involving practicality or convenience, for requesting Unaccompanied Passes. Security personnel will therefore, as a matter of course, offer an Escorted Visitor's Pass.
Visitor's passes are issued from the Pass Desk in the front foyer of the building or from security points at the Senate, House of Representatives or Ministerial entrances.
Responsibilities of sponsors
Sponsors must ensure that any person they sponsor, who is issued with an Escorted Visitor Pass, is escorted by a photographic pass holder at all times whilst in the private areas of Parliament House.
Sponsors should also note that they are responsible for the behavior, dress and conduct of their visitors whilst they are in the private areas of the building or in the chamber galleries.
Access to carparks
Access to the main underground car park at the northern end (front) of the building is unrestricted. The carpark is patrolled and subject to electronic surveillance, but it is in the interests of owners of vehicles to avoid leaving valuable or attractive items in prominent positions in their cars.
Vehicular access to the Senate and House of Representatives carparks is restricted to parliamentary passholders and is subject to control by boom gates.
Goods and document delivery
The Loading Dock is the authorised entry point for all goods and mail deliveries to Parliament House, unless otherwise approved by the Director Security Operations phone 6277 4701.
Unaccompanied mail or other items
Unaccompanied mail or other items for delivery within the building are not to be left at any of the entrances for later collection by the addressee or a representative of the addressee.
If there is an item of mail or other items for delivery within the building, the addressee must be contacted to arrange for its collection in person from the front foyer or from security points at the Senate, House of Representatives or Ministerial entrances.
There is a Post Office on the first floor in the public area of the building at which any mail may be posted.
Protests and demonstrations
An area of land in the parliamentary precincts, facing directly in front of Parliament House, has been designated as the Authorised Assembly Area. Protests, demonstrations and certain public events and activities may be conducted in this area, subject to certain conditions.
The AFP Protective Security Controller must be contacted before the proposed protest or event takes place, to confirm that any such activity is in compliance with the Presiding Officers Guidelines. The AFP Protective Security Controller can be contacted on (02) 6277 5442.