PRESS RELEASE

25 July 2012

Parliament Access Card Holders

Parliament’s Speaker, Dr The Rt Hon Lockwood Smith, today released the full list of members of the public who hold access cards to Parliament approved by the Speaker’s Office.

“The 15 approved visitors include the spouses of two former Members of Parliament. I am releasing the list in the interest of transparency and to avoid any involvement of the Speaker’s Office in who may or may not be considered lobbyists.”

“Dr Smith said that members of the public were only given approved visitor status if they had been security cleared and agreed to their names being public.

“The benefit of being an approved visitor is that the person does not have to be security screened each time he or she comes to Parliament. Instead, an approved visitor can access the public areas of Parliament through a security cleared entrance”, said Dr Smith.

CARD HOLDERS

ENDS

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