Close to 40 chanting pro-refugees protesters have caused chaos at Parliament House after supergluing themselves to railings and suspending Question Time.

Speaker of the House Tony Smith adjourned proceedings while security and Australian Federal Police officers removed protesters from the chamber.

In chaotic scenes, security guards forcibly dragged a number of protesters from the public gallery with many heard screaming "don't hurt me".

A protester lies on the ground after security was called to Parliament House ( ABC News: Naomi Woodley )

Eight security guards surround a protester as he is dragged out of the public gallery. ( ABC News: Naomi Woodley )

Some continued to protest in the Mural Hall inside Parliament House while authorities worked to clear others from inside the chamber.

The protest did not appear to be violent, with many shouting "close the camps" and "bring them here".

"We are here today because you have become world leaders in cruelty," the protesters shouted on Wednesday.

"We are here today because your policies are breaking our heart."

The final protesters were removed from the chamber close to 30 minutes after proceedings were suspended.

Activists from the Whistleblowers Activists and Citizens Alliance claimed responsibility for the protest.

A protester from the same group stormed a stage yelling obscenities while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull delivered an economic speech in August.

A group of protesters yell at security guards in Parliament House. ( ABC News: Naomi Woodley )

A woman shouts as she is dragged out of Question Time by Parliament House security guards. ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the group said protesters came to Parliament House to tell the Government to "stop the madness" and close processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island.

Question Time restarted at 2:40pm (AEDT) and Mr Smith said he suspended proceedings "as a last resort".

"I wondered whether we could press on in the extraordinary circumstance and I made a judgement that we could not," he said.

"Our purpose here is to conduct the business of the House and in the period of time we have been suspended it is very clear we were unable to do that and the dignity of the House would have been severely compromised."

Security was called in to deal with the protesters. ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

The Australian Federal Police were called to the chamber. ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce labelled the protesters "outrageous" and "selfish", adding that Australians "would have been really upset by it".

"It's their Parliament, and they have a right to see the people they elect do their job during Question Time," he told Lateline.

"People would be saying, 'you've got no right to come into my Parliament and shut my Parliament down'.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 11 minutes 46 seconds 11 m Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce called the protesters "selfish".

"If you've got a problem, sure, say it. Say it outside, go into your local member, have the appointment, but don't go into your nation's Parliament … and shut down our Parliament, that's just outrageous."

Cabinet Minister Christopher Pyne said it was the most serious intrusion into the Parliament since 1996, and apologised to the public for the disruption.

"As the person responsible for the chamber and the House I would suggest you conduct a thorough investigation," Mr Pyne said.

"If people are signed in from the public area and in many cases to the chamber, they are signed in by a member of Parliament.

Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop appeared unimpressed by the protesters. ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

"There may well be trail of where the miscreants who disrupted the Parliament came from and I think it would be important to determine that."

A spokesman for Greens senator Nick McKim denied his party had any involvement in the protest.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale thanked one protester and told her "we are so proud of what you have done".

Mr Joyce questioned the move, saying: "You're congratulating them for shutting down our nation's Parliament. Have you completely and utterly lost the plot Richard di Natale? Why would you do that?"

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten thanked security staff at Parliament House for their handling of the protest.

"The reason why the Labor Party stayed in here today is because we will never give in to those who wish to shut down this Parliament," he said on Wednesday.

"This is the exact opposite of democracy."

Two crying protesters being escorted out of Question Time ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

The Question Time protest came days after revelations authorities are planning to improve security at Parliament House amid concerns the building is vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

The restrictions, which are likely to be introduced over the summer period, received mixed reactions from politicians, with many suggesting additional security measures were unnecessary.

Earlier on Wednesday, Senator Di Natale said the improvements to security would entrench a gulf between politicians and the public.

"The Parliament is supposed to be the people's house and not a politicians' bunker," he said.

"This building was designed so that people were able to stand above their politicians. It was designed so that politicians served at the feet of the people."