Page 127 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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Mr Kaine: Do you reckon we can do the same, Bill?
MR STEFANIAK: I do not know. I certainly would not like to do the same here in relation to our naval appropriations, full as they are. In relation to heritage in Canberra I think it goes to show that there are a number of buildings here which we might not think of as particularly significant now but which in the future will be. I commend any heritage legislation in that regard.
I raise one question of warning though, and that is the competing interests of the rights of citizens who live in certain houses in Canberra which can be regarded as having historical value and heritage value against the community interest in keeping parts of our heritage. As I said earlier this morning, Mr Speaker, Canberra is a very small community, and I hope there would be considerable community input and involvement, especially by all members of the community who are in areas and buildings which could be classified as forming part of our heritage.
In recent weeks I have had a number of calls from people who live in fairly old houses which are in areas that might become part of heritage classification, who are very worried about whether they can do renovations to their buildings or indeed sell their buildings, or in some cases redevelop the area, because the buildings might be said to be part of our heritage. I think we have to be very careful to lumber whole areas and all buildings, because they simply happen to be built at a certain time, under heritage legislation.
We have to look very carefully at the rights of citizens who may want to alter those buildings for very good reasons and the community interest in keeping our heritage. Because Canberra is a small community, however, and because a number of citizens in Canberra who are living in the older suburbs especially are very proud of their houses and the buildings, I am sure there will be no lack of volunteers who would be happy to have their properties listed as heritage properties. Of course once that is done the property is listed as a heritage property, and if anyone is to buy the property in the future he or she takes it on that basis.
So, with adequate community consultation, especially consultation with residents in those areas, I do not think there will be a problem, but that is something of which I feel the Government, and indeed this Assembly, will have to be mindful when we come to discuss heritage legislation.
MR MOORE (3.51): This matter of heritage is particularly dear to my heart, because I am a resident of an area, Reid, that is a declared heritage area nationally and because I have fought for some years to protect that area even though it is actually on that listing in various different ways. Let us not jump immediately though to look at just the
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