This webcam was sponsored by R2.co.nz. It allowed  viewers to watch proceedings in the Beehive Theatrette. On a typical week at around 4pm, The Prime Minister delivers a post-Cabinet meeting Media Briefing. This and other events  were  recorded  and made available afterwards.

The webcam has been withdrawn for two reasons

1. We can no longer afford to sponsor it.

2. We have been unable to gain access to maintain the equipment. Our Parliamentary access was withdrawn  with no explanation and an application for new acreditation has gone unanswered.

It got too hard.

I found out about this on Red Alert. Clare Curran blogged:

Not sure how it happened, so will favour the cock up rather than conspiracy theory until proven otherwsie.

Can someone tell us why? Cost cutting?

I hope it falls into the former category also.

I’d actually like Parliament to be broadcasting not just the House and the PMs press conference, but also all public sessions of select committees.

I think it is good that citizens have been able to view the PM’s press conferences in their entirety, rather than just the parts the media decide to publish.

It would be really nice if someone could look at what would be involved in restoring this service, or providing a similar service directly.

Parliament’s security will be reviewed after a box of flies beat its new $8 million security system and sparked a bomb scare.

The parcel, with a note inside saying it contained a bomb, was delivered to the office of Agriculture Minister David Carter on The Beehive’s fifth floor, just after 8am yesterday.

My initial assumption was that the parcel was not directed towards the Minister but was sent by one of his political advisor’s exes for the said advisor. Statistically it has to be a realistic chance.

The scare forced ministers out of the Beehive as they were preparing for their weekly Cabinet meeting – sparking impromptu meetings in cafes around town.

Prime Minister John Key and Cabinet minister Steven Joyce got on with business at a local watering hole, The Occidental, with about 15 staff.

A popular decision with the staff I am sure.

Wellington’s Beehive, home of the New Zealand Government’s executive, ranks as the third ugliest building in the world according to a tourism website list. …

The site described the Beehive as “a slide projector that fell on a wedding cake that fell on a waterwheel.”

Heh.

The Beehive actually looks better from the outside, than it does inside. A circular building makes for very impractical offices.