Holiday time busy for parliamentary tour guides

For most people Christmas and New Year holidays are a well-deserved rest from work, but our parliamentary tour guides will be busy showing visitors from New Zealand and overseas through the parliamentary precinct.

From 27 December weekday tours will run each half-hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (but not 12.30 and 3.30). Saturday tours start at 10 a.m. and finish at 3 p.m., and Sunday tours are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. We are closed on Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26 December), New Year’s Day (1 January) and 2 January.

Tours Supervisor Mike Lee says many of the visitors are New Zealand families who enjoy seeing Parliament Buildings and hearing about parliamentary processes and history.

A highlight is a visit to the House of Representatives to see where the politicians debate and make the laws of our land. Other highlights include visiting the Māori Affairs Committee Room and the Parliamentary Library.

Mike says there is a lot of interest in seeing how Parliament House and the library building have been strengthened to withstand earthquakes of up to 7.5 on the Richter scale.

People are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of their tour to allow time for security screening and the deposit of all bags, cellphones and cameras in safekeeping at the Visitor Centre in the Beehive (Executive Wing). Each tour lasts 1 hour. After your tour you can buy a memento of your visit at the Parliament Shop.

Groups of more than 10 people must make a booking.