31 March 2014

2014-15 Budget media lock-up

At 7:30pm on Tuesday 13 May 2014, the Treasurer will deliver the 2014-15 Budget in the House of Representatives.

From 1:30pm on that day, embargoed Budget materials will be available to approved members of the media in a secure lock‑up area in Parliament House, Canberra.

Media organisations are now invited to apply to the Treasury for access to the lock-up. Enquiries and applications, including the names and positions of employees seeking access, should be sent to budgetlockup@treasury.gov.au by 5pm on Monday 21 April.

Space in the lock-up is limited, so media organisations should restrict their applications to essential employees only.

Attendees can sign in from 12.00pm to a pre-lock-up area, which they will not be able to leave. When the lock‑up commences at 1.30pm, those already signed in will be able to move immediately into the venue and collect their Budget materials.

Attendees are asked to observe these security conditions:

  • Budget information may not be broadcast, published or made publicly available in any way until 7.30pm (AEST).
  • Attendees may not make contact with anyone outside the lock‑up area prior to 7.30pm (with the exception of authorised communications to secure Budget sub‑lock‑ups).
  • Mobile phones and pagers cannot be taken into the lock-up. Secure storage facilities will be available outside the lock‑up area.
  • Laptops and Tablets can be taken into the lock‑up. Electronic versions of the Budget documents will be available on USB sticks or for download via a secure Wi‑Fi access point. Following download, connectivity must be disabled for the duration of the lock‑up. The area will be monitored for unauthorised transmissions.
  • Once the lock‑up begins at 1.30pm, attendees may not leave the lock‑up area until 7.30pm, except in the case of emergency.
  • Smoking is not permitted in any part of the lock‑up area, and attendees will not be permitted into smoking areas during the lock‑up.
  • Attendees are required to vacate the lock‑up area by 8.30pm.