Qld parliamentary annexe to be renovated after 43 years

A 1970s-era building that has served as a home away from home for Queensland MPs is finally set for a makeover. TAKE A TOUR

Jack McKay

3 min read

July 3, 2022 - 12:00AM

The Sunday Mail (Qld)

QLD Politics

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Stepping into Queensland’s parliamentary annexe is like stepping into a time machine to the 1970s – an era when wallpaper and yellow tiling were in vogue and Joh Bjelke-Petersen was the long-serving premier.

The 23-storey concrete structure looks almost out of place, casting a shadow over the smaller (but much more ornate) 19th century sandstone building that houses Queensland’s regal parliamentary chamber.

The annexe opened in 1979, and it serves as a home away from home for our MPs – giving them a room to stay in during busy parliamentary sitting weeks, almost like a hotel.

The rooms are assigned according to a pecking order of seniority – with the premier of the day and the two most senior ministers allocated the top floor.

And it’s on this top floor you will find perhaps the most unusual offering in the building: the spa bath.

“I’ve never used it and I have to say... I don’t want to use the spa,” Speaker Curtis Pitt tells The Sunday Mail with a laugh.

Speaker Curits Pitt at Queensland’s parliamentary annexe. Picture: Sarah Marshall/NCA NewsWire

The spa hasn’t been used for decades, sitting almost derelict in a small room with shabby carpet on the floor and wall paper that also feels a bit like carpet as well.

It’s a relic of the past that will soon be removed as the annexe undergoes a massive $40 million refurbishment amid safety concerns.

While the overall integrity of the structure remains intact, its facade is deteriorating – with pieces of concrete occasionally falling from the building.

The Sunday Mail was given a tour of the annexe last week, just ahead of the refurbishment kicking off.

“What’s important to note is it’s a 1970s building and it’s probably at that stage right now where it’s at half building life,” Mr Pitt says.

“There’s a number of different... styles and eras in terms of the rooms.

“Some have been upgraded in more recent times and some haven’t been upgraded for a long time.”

Parliament Demolition

The Sunday Mail was given a glimpse of the premier’s suite, which will soon be gutted and made smaller to make way for more rooms.

It is currently the biggest bedroom suite in the building, and includes a living area, office space, kitchen, master bedroom, small guest room, and bathroom that has mustard yellow tiles.

Downstairs, the rooms are a bit smaller.

Some have balconies with extraordinary views – while others are much more modest, looking like a cross between an office and a hotel room.

The ceilings are sagging in some areas, the carpet looks worse for wear, and the airconditioning can be heard loudly whirring through the hallways.

Rooms that overlook the Speaker’s Green are more coveted, because they don’t pick up the loud noises that emanate from the Riverside Expressway on the other side of the building.

The windows will be replaced in the refurbishment in a bid to block out more noise.

Parliament Demolition

Mr Pitt, who was elected in 2009, has stayed in a few rooms over the years, including level 23 when he was treasurer. He suggested level 14 struck him as a Bjelke-Petersen era throwback.

“(My) second term I was on level 14,” he recalls.

“Level 14’s the one with all the dark wood panelling ... and they’re the oldest rooms in the place.

“Some members do have, I think, more modern rooms than others. But none of the rooms are ultra-modern or swanky.

“I think the great thing is everyone will have the same standard going forward after the refurbishment.”

For now, while works are under way, MPs will be offered hotel accommodation.

The building also features office spaces for MPs, which will be revamped during the refurbishment.