Money trumps heritage under new laws

Clover Moore MP has opposed State Government changes to Heritage Legislation but her own heritage record as Lord Mayor has come under fire.

Ms Moore has strongly criticized the new Heritage Amendment Bill, saying it would increase Ministerial power and give higher priority to economic considerations in heritage assessments.

“Under the Bill, the Planning Minister rather than the Heritage Council will determine criteria for establishing State heritage items, giving the position significant power over the heritage process. The Planning Minister should not have final say about independent and objective heritage criteria,” she said.

“While reasonable economic use and potential financial hardship are not new to the heritage process, these criteria should not be part of initial assessments about significance,” Ms Moore said in a Parliamentary speech.

“Legislative changes should ensure that existing heritage protections are maintained or enhanced, and that there is appropriate preservation and restoration of our built and natural heritage. But this Bill is more about diminishing heritage protection to fast-track development to the detriment of our city and state.”

However, Sydney City Council’s own 2006 Heritage Development Control Plan also allows heritage to be destroyed on economic grounds according to Andrew Woodhouse, president of the Potts Point & Kings Cross Heritage Conservation Society.

“Clover Moore is right to say ‘We’ve had a shameful record of protecting our heritage’ but she has been a major contributor to this record,” he said.

“Section 1.13 of Council’s Development Control Plan states that applicants must explain why a structure needs to be demolished, and ‘if demolition is recommended primarily on economic grounds, submit a statement… comparing the cost of demolition and cost of retention.”

Mr Woodhouse criticised Council’s heritage record, citing the demolition of the Barons building in Kings Cross and the last above-ground WWII air-raid shelter in Rushcutters Bay Park; renovations on Jenner house, Potts Point, to make room for new apartments and pools; and the QVB’s new escalators and “shopping-mall-style” paint scheme.

But Clover Moore cited the very same QVB in her argument against economic priorities: “reasonable economic use changes over time… the Queen Victoria Building and the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf were once considered not to have an economic value and were almost demolished. These buildings now have been successfully adapted and conserved.”

“Clover Moore’s speech illustrates that politicians wear three hats, not two:  one for throwing into the ring, one for talking through, and one for pulling rabbits from after they’re elected,” said Mr Woodhouse.

by Emma Rugg