"Heritage places and collections can provide a platform for an increased understanding of the development of New Zealand's unique culture amongst New Zealanders and heritage and cultural tourism can play an important part in the economic development of local communities, and building community pride and distinctive identity."
The following is the text of the Green Party Heritage Policy release:

Protecting and Preserving our Heritage

The preservation of heritage buildings and historic sites and heritage collections is intrinsic to the development of a sustainable and unique New Zealand culture.

Heritage places and collections can provide a platform for an increased understanding of the development of New Zealand's unique culture amongst New Zealanders and heritage and cultural tourism can play an important part in the economic development of local communities, and building community pride and distinctive identity.

The conservation and re-use of heritage buildings has many environmental advantages as well; as it conserves the energy used in their construction, reduces the amount of waste to landfill and reduces the need for new materials to be created/taken from the ground.

The Green Party will:

Support the creation of a National Policy Statement for heritage under the Resource Management Act, requiring local authorities to place more weight on recognising and supporting heritage places in district plans.

2. Support central and local government funding schemes for owners of heritage buildings, to recognize that these owners are in effect custodians of a resource that is valuable to the whole community, but are expected to fund their upkeep themselves

3. Establish a well-resourced national funding scheme for the earthquake
strengthening of heritage buildings so that owners are not forced to pull down buildings because of the cost of compliance with the Building Act

4. Investigate funding support for small tourism ventures, including Maori
businesses, which wish to use the promotion of the heritage and culture of New Zealand as a basis.

5. Improve Te Papa's National Services ability to provide effective assistance, training and other services to local museums and art galleries in the care and management of heritage collections