Canberra's heritage system will be the subject of a parliamentary inquiry, which follows the ACT Heritage Minister revealing she had lost confidence in the territory's heritage council.
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The Legislative Assembly's standing committee on environment, climate change and biodiversity will consider the ACT's heritage laws, effectiveness and structure of the heritage council and the resourcing for the government's heritage unit.
The committee's chair, Labor's Marisa Paterson, announced the self-referred inquiry on Monday.
"Now is a critical time to examine the ACT heritage protection arrangements and to see how they can be improved in order to ensure they achieve their intended functions under the Heritage Act," Dr Paterson said.
The committee will consider how heritage laws work in other states and territories and what could be done to improve the the ACT's heritage system.
Submissions to the inquiry are open until March 3, 2023.
ACT Heritage Minister Rebecca Vassarotti told the Legislative Assembly in late November she had lost confidence in the heritage council after an independent review found evidence of unprofessional behaviour and a stressful working environment.
The review found the strained relationships between the council and inefficient heritage systems presented an "imminent risk to ACT heritage sites".
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Under ACT heritage laws, the heritage council is the ultimate decision maker on whether places or sites on the territory's heritage register.
Ms Vassarotti said she was considering removing council members and was consulting with the environment, climate change and biodiversity standing committee.
The government will not release the full review, citing privacy concerns, but did table an executive summary in the Assembly. The opposition unsuccessfully sought to force the government to table the full review.
"What is clear is that to better position the council and ACT heritage to meet the further challenges of managing heritage within a growing city, our approach to heritage needs reform," Ms Vassarotti said on November 29.
"I will therefore be undertaking a comprehensive review of the ACT's heritage arrangements. This review will examine the legislation and how the ACT's approach to the conservation and management of heritage compares to best practice in other states and territories."
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
