Security scare at Parliament ahead of Budget

  • 26/05/2016
The ute at Parliament (Emma Jolliff/Newshub.)
The ute at Parliament (Emma Jolliff/Newshub.)

A second security scare has taken place outside Parliament just hours after a man drove a ute onto the forecourt.

Cordons have now been lifted, but police would not give any information regarding the nature of the incident.

Meanwhile, a man has been taken into custody following the earlier scare involving the ute.

The ute, bearing a banner reading in all-caps, "JOHN KEY! MOVE THE GATEKEEPERS", parked up just before midday.

The message continued: "THEY'RE HARBOURING CORRUPTION BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE ANZ BANK". 

Security scare at Parliament ahead of Budget

Bomb squad staff outside Parliament (Emma Jolliff)

Reporters and staff were shut inside Parliament and Bowen St was closed while police and the bomb squad investigated.

Police say they have cleared the vehicle, and it will be removed as soon as possible. Emergency services remain at the scene.

Labour MP Grant Robertson tweeted that protests like this "undermine what is great [about] Parliament -- that people can easily access, eat lunch outside etc".

MP Peter Dunne's party United Future tweeted similar thoughts: "There's protest and then there's being a complete tool and limiting access to Parliament for everyone."

The protest happened during the three-hour Budget lock-up period.

Newshub.