Queensland Parliamentary Annexe shedding concrete and posing a threat to MPs

The Opposition says it’s time for a grown-up discussion by both sides of politics about the potentially dangerous Parliamentary Annexe.

The State Opposition has called for Queensland’s Parliamentary Annexe to be fixed, amid claims it’s falling apart and becoming unsafe.

Parliamentary staff and MPs were this week urged to avoid level 7 of the building in Brisbane’s CBD because concrete chunks the size of golf balls were falling off the facade.

An exclusion zone has been established with an investigation and remedial works to take place between March 1 and 8.

The annexe provides accommodation for regional MPs during parliamentary sittings, as well as dining and function facilities for members.

A warning sign and protective fencing outside the Parliamenatry Annexe in Brisbane’s CBD. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Manager of Opposition business Jarrod Bleijie said both sides of government needed to sit down and have “grown-up” discussions.

“This annexe is falling apart and it is becoming unsafe with respect to a lot of these issues,” he said.

“We only have in the last two years airconditioning units catch on fire... members were evacuated.

“We then had major water leaks and money that has to be expended on the whole water unit throughout the Annexe creating more potential safety issues.”

Manager of Opposition business Jarrod Bleijie

Mr Bleijie said a government of any political persuasion needed to fix it at some point.

“The reality is the annexe is falling apart,” he said.

“The concrete facade which is essentially held together with metal pins, some of the metal pins were replaced and fixed in 1991, obviously not all of them, and they’ve rusted out and they’re pushing golf-ball size concrete pieces.

“It’s the public’s building, this is the people’s house and I fear that the safety of not only members, but the journalists, everyone that works here, the parliamentary staff... it’s becoming an unsafe environment.

“Money has to be spent on the annexe to get it appropriately safe for everyone who uses this as their office space.

“We need to sit down... and have proper grown-up discussions about the investment that has to be made to not only make safe this building but also provide an opportunity for parliamentary staff to work in a 2021 workplace environment.”

The annexe was constructed by the Bjelke-Petersen government during the 1970s.

It has not been without issues in the past, with some MPs having previously said they had to tape window sills to stop rain and wind coming in.

There have also been issues with airconditioning units.

Outside the Bjelke-Petersen-era annexe where small chunks of concrete have been dislodged