15 April 2010

2010-2011 Budget Lock-Up

The Treasurer will deliver the 2010-11 Budget on Tuesday 11 May 2010, with his Budget speech beginning in the House of Representatives around 7.30pm (AEST).

Media organisations are invited to apply to the Treasury for access to the lock-up by submitting the names and positions of employees seeking access by 5pm on Friday 30 April 2010. Applications and any enquires should be sent to budget@treasury.gov.au.

Media organisations should restrict their applications to the minimum number of essential employees only, as space in the lock-up is limited.

The Budget lock-up will be conducted under the same conditions as last year's lock-up, with Budget material made available to approved members of media organisations in a secure area in Parliament House, Canberra.

Attendees will be able to sign in from 12.00pm which will allow access to a pre-lock-up area but not to the Budget papers. Once signed in, attendees will not be able to leave this area. 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 papers.

The attendees are asked to observe the same security conditions as in previous years:

  • Attendees may not make contact with anyone outside the lock-up area prior to the start of the Treasurer's Budget Speech (authorised communications to secured Budget sub-lock-ups excepted).
  • Budget information may not be broadcast, published or made publicly available before it is announced by the Treasurer in his Budget Speech.
  • Equipment capable of transmitting information outside the lock-up is not permitted in the lock-up, unless specifically approved by the Treasury in writing. This includes cellular/digital telephones, pagers, handsets, computers and personal data assistants (PDAs). Secure storage facilities will be available outside the lock-up area.
  • Please note that the lock-up area will be monitored for non-authorised transmissions.
  • The lock-up will commence at 1.30pm. Attendees may not leave the lock-up area until the Treasurer's Budget Speech starts at 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 will be required to vacate the lock-up area by 8.30pm.

For more information on the application process, security arrangements, Budget sub-lock-ups and Budget documents, please go to http://www.treasury.gov.au/.