By Lilia Guan
Parliament House will be closed to the public from midday Wednesday 16 to midday Thursday 17 November 2011, for the arrival of the United States President, Barack Obama.
The only area available for public access will be the Authorised Assembly Area located on the Federation Mall lawn area at the front of the building. The only access to this area will be from Federation Mall on foot and the closest open road will be Queen Victoria Terrace.
Some types of Parliament House access cards (Commonwealth non-photographic and sponsored) will not be valid on these two days.
Information on access to the building for those invited to events on the day will be provided with their invitation.
During the afternoon of Wednesday 16 November, there will be a 21 gun salute.
Politicians’ and Parliament staff health have also come under consideration with the noise of the guns meeting the Commonwealth Occupational Health and Safety guidelines.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has been busy with preparations for the visit for several months.
Although specifics of the arrangements cannot be revealed due to operational security, according to the AFP ACT Policing has command and control of all operational matters associated with the security and movement of visiting dignitaries during their stay in the ACT.
The AFP provides specific services to support that function including personal protection officers to the President, in cooperation with the US Secret Service.
On its website the AFP stated a significant proportion of preliminary planning had been undertaken by ACT Policing’s Emergency Management and Planning team when a prospective POTUS visit was mooted earlier last year but then cancelled.
“When this visit was announced several months ago, those plans were reactivated, refreshed and new components added,” the AFP stated.
ACT Polices’ VIP transport and movement security package is capable of being modified in accordance with a variety of factors, including the threat assessment level to the Principal, and the number and nature of vehicles within the motorcade.
These details will also be factored into transport security arrangements for the Presidents’ motorcade.
Although it’s difficult for the AFP to provide a costing until post-event, a general rule the cost of dignitary visits to the ACT are borne by the ACT Policing budget as outlined in the 2011-2016 Policing Arrangement.
President Obama’s visit is one of several VIP visits to Canberra in which ACT Policing has been in control of the movement security in recent months, including Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands.
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