Old Parliament House was the scene of a break-in this morning. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
UPDATE, 11 am: A 30-year-old man charged with breaking into Old Parliament House has been told he will be taken for a mental health assessment.
“Yes that sounds fine. I’m more than happy to pay the damages as well,” he said when he appeared briefly in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday (6 September), before his duty lawyer told him he did not need to speak.
Special Magistrate Margaret Hunter said he would be taken for the assessment and returned to court when he was deemed to be well enough.
9 am: A 30-year-old man allegedly broke into Old Parliament House early this morning to “free” people he believed were trapped inside.
ACT Policing arrested a 30-year-old Watson man early on Tuesday, 6 September 2022, inside the building.
Security called police at about 1:20 am, saying a person had broken into the building by smashing some glass doors.
After a brief search of the premises, during which the man was unable to be located, an announcement was made on the building’s internal PA system advising him to make his way to the main lobby.
The man did so, and he was placed under arrest.
After he was taken into custody, the man allegedly told police he believed people were trapped inside Old Parliament House who needed his help to be set free.
The man will face the ACT Magistrates Court today, charged with trespassing on Commonwealth property and two counts of damaging Commonwealth property.
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