Leaky building crisis goes political

Some parts of the Beehive, including its copper roof and the press gallery offices, missed out when the building had a $54 million refurbishment in 2006. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government is facing a leaky home problem of its own, with Speaker Lockwood Smith yesterday confirming the Beehive's roof is not watertight and the money to fix it is currently unavailable.

Yesterday, Parliamentary Service general manager Geoff Thorn told the Government Administration committee the maintenance plan for Parliament's buildings was "under some pressure".

Some parts of the Beehive, including its copper roof and the press gallery offices, missed out when the building had a $54 million refurbishment in 2006.

Dr Smith said the "worry" about the Beehive roof was that it was not "totally watertight" which was confirmed by Mr Thorn.

The Beehive's roof consists of long copper panels joined together with raised rolled joints, some of which have loosened since the building was completed in 1981, allowing "some moisture" to enter the roof cavity, a spokesman for Parliamentary Service said.

"These minor leaks are being monitored and managed to minimise any moisture damage to the interior."

The Beehive houses Government ministers with the Prime Minister's office on the ninth floor and the Cabinet room on the tenth, or top floor. The spokesman said there were no indications any drips had made it through to the Cabinet room.

While the spokesman said the leaks had been apparent for some time, Mr Thorn told the committee there was not enough money in the current allocation for building maintenance to repair the roof or to complete refurbishment at Bowen House on Lambton Quay where a number of MPs have offices.

However the service should be able to bid for sufficient funds in the new financial year to pay for these projects he said.

Meanwhile the spokesman said the cost of repairing the roof had yet to be finalised. Full refurbishment of the roof will require scaffolding around the top of the building, and therefore the roof may not be properly repaired for some time.

BUSY BEEHIVE

$77m - equivalent cost to build between 1969 and 1981
$54m - refurbishment between 1998 and 2006
$?? million to fix latest problems