In My
Opinion

Australian Government Productivity Commission Conservation of Australia's Historic heritage Places Inquiry 2005

Click link to index page - then individual Submission number for full details. http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/heritage/subs/sublist.html

Submissions 1 - 50

2. David Hutchison - 2p 5kb
Writer, museologist & historian WA - heritage conservation has economic values - sends his article - "The Loyalty of Habit" - we don't recycle (buildings)

3. Margrit J. Stocker - 5p 35kb
owner of a heritage property

4. Dr. Richard Blumley Qld - 3p
(1) Historic heritage Places *Management principles Tourism working group (footnotes) Cultural & natural heritage report sent
(2) The role of tourism in the conservation of historic heritage places 'Pork-barrelling' vehicles - Federation Fund
*In-situ interpretation & development of Heritage Trails Doctoral thesis - The Failure of the Hall-of-fame 'edifice'

5. Bob Behl - Hay Shire Council NSW - 3p 22kb
Responsible for 2 historic bldgs. Volunteers can't cope - local will miss funding - rating system to determine allocation of resources

6. ISJ Bowie - 5p 133kb
Former academic and consultant planner in NSW. Definition 'What is Heritage? - Elements of the development industry are (and have the economic and political clout to be) ruthless in their pursuit of change for the sake of profits. Why should governments be involved? After more than 200 years of European settlement Australia still has places that are distinctively 'Australian' or identifiably 'local' in their character. It is pretty important for a small (and increasingly vulnerable) nation to retain these to tell ourselves and the world who we are.

7. Organ Historical Trust of Aust - 7p
2000 pipe organs in Aust

8. Janet & John Boyd NSW - 8p 67k
heritage property owners opposing listing

9. Mr. Albert James Morris - 7p 29k
Historic building owner in Tasmania - 1838 property - heritage listing precludes maintenance ability - fund raising - State Govt should exempt all historic bldgs from land tax & local govt from general rates/taxes - old trade skills no longer available - need a database reference of these - subsidies to re-train building specialists in the preservation and maintenance of historic buildings. Urgent need to legislate that property values, when used for taxation purposes, be heavily discounted in the case of historic buildings

10. Emeritus Professor D.J. Mulvaney - 3p (*a must read - NHL Nomination problem) 23kb
Member of the AHC 1976-82 - Submission proposed AHC was advisory to the Minister and therefore would have little power in controversial issues. This submission is a case study of one place nominated for the NHL, which shows the disadvantages of an advisory council and the apparent delaying tactics resorted to by the Minister. This makes a mockery of the new legislation. *Nomination of Recherche Bay Tasmania for NHL 2nd February, 2004, first week of new Act. - nominated because of its significance for French activities in Australia 1792 1793 D'Entrecasteaux Expedition. - Tasmanian government decisions permitted the harvesting of timber - *Site Emergency Listed 2004 - Ministers refusal decision even though it may meet 4 NHL criteria. "I have no faith in the workings of the new legislation."

11. Ku-ring-gai - Zeny Edwards zip 144k
endangered historic heritage place forests & exotic trees gardens and architecture Chair of Nat Trust

12. Broken Hill City Council - zip 2.2mb (I can't open)

13 Convict Trail Project Inc - 31kb NSW (this one is good)
Public contributions mechanisms hilights problems with 'economic rationalist' approach - lack of integrated system

14. Sydney Engineering Heritage Committee - 10p 5mb (*Very, very good - PROACTIVE)
Engineering and Industrial heritage is overlooked. The effort and dedication of voluntary groups is a most significant ingredient in achieving conservation of the Nation's heritage. This needs much greater recognition and support by governments at both State and Commonwealth level. A National Heritage Fund and increased funding to support community-based heritage organisations - strongly support the Heritage Trail Project - lack of thought given to possible, relevant and appropriate adaptation. *Benefits - the birthright of future Australians. "Experience shows that neither governments at any level nor their agencies can be relied on to safeguard the Nation's heritage." (see Attachment 'D') "A large part of the responsibility for protecting the integrity of our heritage, is therefore, taken by the community at large in the knowledge that, as for liberty, the price of conserving heritage and the environment, is eternal vigilance!" Many good suggestions (IT IS AMAZING WHAT 16 DEDICATED PEOPLE CAN COME UP WITH) Attachment 'C' Publicising Heritage (A MUST READ) Attachment 'D' State Kills Debate on critical projects Sydney Morning Herald - 25-5-05 Darren Goodsir, Editor)

15 Mrs. J. Maling - NSW 7p
volunteer - inadequate public info - heritage listing

16. Nat Trust QLD - zip (can't open)

17. Ms Helen Hannah 1p
City councillor in country - buildings

18. City of Melbourne - 122kb 2p (*this is a good one)
Melbourne's heritage system since 1988 links - point 5 Town planning co-operative heritage act 1982

19. Museum of Vic 2p 5kb
Royal Exhibition building World Heritage site - draft copy with alterations

20. Mr Ian Evans OAM - 20p 2mb
(* see Brisbane hearing 25 Aug 2005 1-16) Publisher - historic buildings restorer

21. Ms Sue Berge 20p 2mb
- must be confidential

22. Vinita Deodhar - Macquarie Uni NSW 4p 37kb
academic study -

23. The Evans Head Living Museum & Community Technology Centre 3p 18kb
Small fishing village tourist centre NSW volunteers and unpaid staff - trying to preserve WW2 aerodrome - council wants for a residential development - we can't prepare submissions like council who pay consultants - suggest national policy on what Australian sites should be preserved - recompense for alternate land use - volunteers should be recompensed for out-of-pocket expenses

24. Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union 5p 145kb
1970's union green bans - shortage of skilled workers - commercial viability should not determine whether govt becomes involved

25. Christine Stewart - 4p 32kb (good one)
owner of Collits Inn - heritage site NSW - too much of our history has already gone - *problems working with the heritage office of NSW (1) insufficient knowledge of our history - CI rec'd highest heritage grant in NSW $165,000 - final cost well over $1m (2) poor management skills (3) too long for decisions (4) archaeologist's report, which told us nothing we already knew $2,500 for 1 page!!!

26. Kath Crilly - 2p 22kb
- (speaker Adelaide) (and Adelaide hearing 3 Aug 2005 272-286) Public consultation is a farce in South Australia - no information about the new EPBC Act here - interference in the public nomination National Heritage Adelaide Park Lands Listing

27. City of Ryde Council - 5p
zip can't open

28. Bruce Pennay - 2p 12kb
Albury Wodonga Heritage Study - Victorian Pride of Place funding - local govt wants to get out of funding

29. Engineering Heritage Tasmania 3p
Our interests include 'harbours, mines, bridges etc - we have databases, biographies, oral history and produced heritage walk pamphlet - most work done by volunteers - *need heritage survey of Tasmania so all listings are available on one source.

30. Ivan McDonald Architects Qld 7p 612k
(and Brisbane hearing 25 July 2005 17-29) Historic Heritage Architect 25 yrs Brisbane City Council Heritage Advisory Comm. The 'carrot' and the 'stick' - effectively there are no 'carrots'. Public buildings of cultural significance should generally remain in public ownership as an enduring public legacy - heritage listing private property problems

31. Ross Murphy Tas 5p 26kb
Fire Engineer and Building Surveyor Heritage conservation of bldgs and adaptive re-use - bldg regulations

32. The Balmain Assoc Inc 2p 11kb
B. Peninsula has been a conservation area for at least 35 yrs 1830's bldgs and gold rush 1850 - formed in 1965 to conserve heritage values - volunteers - main complaint - exorbitant cost of insurance to open bldgs to the public and risk insurance for volunteers

33. Mr. Des Hanlon - 7p 34kb
(* this is a MUST READ) (and Perth hearing 1 Aug 2005 171-180) Member of Nat. Trust Tasmania conducting historic heritage walks over Hobart 15 yrs - involved with 3 levels of govt - BEWARE The existing legislation does not provide the framework whereby the conservation of the nation's heritage will be secured. * What is the Nation's built heritage? Who is responsible for its identification, protection and conservation? * Major weakness - NO DEFINITION OR DESCRIBED ROLE OF THE CROWN. "The Crown, as owner in the name of the people of Australia or any other State or Territory, is itself the most significant creator of public heritage as well as protector of the public benefit." (*Links to legislation. - BRILLIANT - just print it and read it)

34. Adelaide Arcade P/L 8p 72kb
(speaker Adelaide) (Adelaide hearing 3 Aug 2005 261-271) Private property on SHL 1985 - RNE 1980 City of Adelaide list 1987 - Govt's at all levels have not participated to the extent that is required in the preservation of heritage properties - commercial heritage listed site is not funded - 5% only of $3m - no incentives - The City of Adelaide operates under OUT-DATED LEGISLATION.

35. ENGLISH HERITAGE 4p 259k
(*BRILLIANT) w/links (Just print it and read it - This is exactly what the Australian government needs to do - a How it should have been done submission based on 12 years experience of solving these problems)

36. Braidwood Historical Soc NSW 16kb
(and see submission 54 113 150 173) National Trust and NSW SHL country town 1000 population. **Georgian period Town Plan late 1830's - historical plan under threat by developers (SOUND FAMILIAR?) RNE listing is a toothless tiger. (SOUND FAMILIAR?)

37. Royal Australian Historical Soc Sydney 2p
362 community groups affiliated in a historic building in Sydney - groups have vast collections of historical importance - volunteers - aging membership - heritage is part of the 'outdoor museum'

38. Nepean Historical Soc Vic 2p 190kb
Need support of historic bldgs - Inquiry should focus on social history

39. Lotterywest WA 9p
Govt enterprise operating in a commercial environment - annual income in excess of $520m - by selling gaming products through 580 retail outlets - Aim - return profits to beneficiaries and the community of WA - Grants are distributed to Local Govt and not-for-profit organisations. 5 priority areas - Valuing our State's heritage - Community history grants - interpreting cultural heritage - memorial grants - community benefits criteria

40. Australian Council of National Trusts - 235p! 286kb
The paper-back version of their entire history!! - boring old-hat stuff pushing professionalism, we're the experts stuff - recommendations page 10 - Read English Heritage submission 35 instead

41. Heritage Group of Leichhardt District - Sydney 1p 28kb
formed 2002 - funding issues - volunteers

42. Gold Coast City Council 3p 72kb
Complaining no official notice of PC inquiry sent to them No support or incentives for private owners - Commonwealth should financially support places on WHL - concerns NHL is aiming too high with heritage significance levels. No legislative requirement in QLD for owners of heritage listed properties to maintain the property's heritage values. Legislation to prosecute if Heritage sites are left to deteriorate but balance with support to maintain these properties. Local places no protection against development if not on Local list. Local govts do not have structures in place to administer local heritage lists effectively. There is a strong need to have local lists managed and administered by an overarching Regional Heritage Body funded at either State or Federal level. * An independent body is needed who can assess local heritage values for sites.

43. Town of Vincent - Perth 4p 31kb
Two full time Heritage Officers - managing Australia's heritage is the responsibility of all Governments - not just Local Govt. WA Heritage Act 1990 all Local Govt to maintain Municipal Heritage Inventory - State over-rides Local Govt on built heritage - problems with property rights

44. Duncan Marshall ACT Architect & Heritage Consultant 11p 93kb
Many reports which come to nothing - we need National leadership in heritage conservation - history of attempts - DEH does not lead - we need National strategy

45. The Australian Garden History Soc - Melbourne 13p 102kb
Formed 1980 2,000 members - non-profit - branches in each State - approx 2,800 historic gardens & landscapes in Australia with heritage values on Commonwealth, State Heritage Registers and many more on National Trust Lists. Parks and Gardens poor cousin of cultural heritage - no Tafe course - Tourism stats - Open Garden Scheme etc. *No mention of Adelaide Park Lands - list of projects page 9.

46. EPBC Unit Project - 9p

47. Ms E. Cummins - 1p

48. Randwick City Council NSW- 2p
Does not have a heritage fund

49. Australian Academy of the Humanities 3p 80kb
Inadequacy from scholarly professionals - National Trust poorly financed

50. Manly, Warrington & Pittwater Historical Soc - 2p
* 100 members over 3 local govt areas - We have grass roots contact with the community and heritage - lack clout and the need to work with sometimes reluctant council staff and councillors who would rather remove items from the heritage inventory so as not to impede development. Too few people with the time &/or ability to attend public consultation meetings and make submissions. Council staff inadequate to prepare Development Assessment consents. Developers appoint their own certifiers. Councillors turnover ensure developers eventually get their approval. * We need stronger legislation...from the Federal level where it is furtherest removed from local developer - it is currently too easy for people at all levels of govt to avoid responsibility in relation to heritage conservation.