Bomb scare at Parliament is over

Police and emergency vehicles outside Parliament in Wellington after a bomb scare today. Photo / NZPA

Some areas of Parliament, including the Press Gallery, were evacuated today after the discovery of a suspicious package in the mail screening room.

The room is a specially built room at the back of Parliament. The Press Gallery is just above it.

The bomb disposal squad had been called in and had arrived at Parliament, Parliamentary Services general manager Geoff Thorn said.

A bomb disposal robot had been offloaded from a truck and was preparing to enter the building, a NZPA reporter said.

Police were at the scene and were working with parliamentary security, a police spokesman told NZPA.

Police were alerted to the discovery around 11.45am.

At around 1pm, staff and media were allowed back into the building.

The Beehive and Bowen House was evacuated in January after a suitcase was found on Bowen St, between Lambton Quay and The Terrace, by a security guard on a routine check.

Cordons were put in place around Bowen St, The Terrace, Lambton Quay, Molesworth St and Kate Sheppard Place while specialist police, the army's bomb squad and the joint forces explosives group were called in.

A small explosive was detonated but the suitcase contained clothes and personal items.

The January incident was the second time in eight months Parliament had been evacuated in a bomb scare.

- NZPA, NZ Herald staff