Speaker Gerry Brownlee says the Beehive's executive wing may need to close for up to 18 months so the building can be repaired. He also says a decision on whether to do this work may wait until after the 2026 election, RNZ reports.

The Beehive is where the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, and their staff work. A closure of that length would be a major disruption to how government runs day to day.

The Beehive has been having repair work done for years. Windows started being replaced in November 2022, and the work was supposed to be finished by 2024, according to Parliament's information. But that deadline has passed. The Earthquake Commission helped with earlier repair phases on the executive wing, and staff had to move offices temporarily then too, according to Parliament's records from 2017.

What Brownlee is now talking about is much bigger than before. Instead of moving some staff around while work continues, the entire executive wing would need to be emptied.

Finding somewhere else for the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers to work would be complicated. They need secure, private space close to Parliament's debating chamber. No other suitable building is ready to go. Both the Parliamentary Service and the Department of Internal Affairs would have a big role in working out where everyone could move to.

There is also a political reason to wait. By suggesting the decision might come after the next election, the current government avoids having to promise voters that it will shut down the seat of government before they go to the polls. It also means the new government, whoever wins in 2026, would have to decide whether to proceed.

Eighteen months is a long time to close a building like this. It could take up most or all of a three-year parliamentary term. Ministers would need working space that lets them do Cabinet business properly: secure phone lines, quick access to Parliament, and contact with their staff.

Brownlee has not yet said exactly what needs to be repaired or how much it will cost. Those details will matter a lot when the question reaches whoever is in government. The Beehive was finished in 1981 and is protected as a heritage building, which means there are rules about what can be changed or taken down.