Whitlam MP Stephen Jones has welcomed news that the Australian Parliament will enter a "public lockdown" from Monday, August 2.
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"The ACT is understandably very concerned," Mr Jones said.
"They have remained COVID-free for a year, surrounded by NSW, seeing the virus spread up and down the highway.
"If Parliament House wasn't managed properly it would be a high risk environment because you have people coming there from every state and territory in the country."
A joint statement by the Parliament's Presiding Officers has advised that the building will be closed to the general public, including the galleries in each chamber. School group bookings and all event bookings will be cancelled or postponed.
Parliamentarians have also been requested to only bring essential staff to Canberra and Parliament House.
The numbers of members and senators attending sittings in person is expected to be substantially reduced with many attending Parliament remotely.
Mr Jones said a wholly virtual Parliament would be impossible.
"Imagine a Zoom conference with 150 people - it just won't work," he said.
"We have a blended Parliament at the moment, with some people not attending, some people teleconferencing and some in person, but you couldn't do the whole thing via teleconference on an ongoing basis.
"These aren't normal times, and if I want to be in Canberra I need to comply with ACT and Parliament House requirements, which include a two-week quarantine when I arrive in the ACT."
All external departments and agencies have also been asked to minimise attendance of public servants unless on essential business.
Members of the parliamentary press gallery are also asked to minimise presence of staff.
The restrictions are similar to those that were implemented by the Parliament early in the pandemic in 2020.
There are fears the sitting week period could become a super-spreader event, particularly if there is a possible outbreak in the ACT.
While the building is closed, parliamentary proceedings may still be followed through the Live Minutes and Dynamic Red, and through the APH website.
Parliament is set to resume on Tuesday, August 3, but the arrangements will come into effect on Monday, August 2, and will remain in place until Friday, September 3.
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