Historic Places Aotearoa AGM 2018- Speech Given On Behalf Of The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern

Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern has generously released the notes of the speech, given on her behalf, by Hon Iain Lees-Galloway  to the Historic Places Aotearoa AGM 2018.

It’s a pleasure to be here today on behalf of the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, among so many passionate advocates for the heritage sector.
And what better location for discussing historic places than here at Caccia Birch House – a wonderful example of New Zealand’s regional heritage and a building that is steeped in the history of Palmerston North.

Winston Churchill once said “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us”.

I think this perfectly sums up our relationship to our built heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Every historic site tells a story, and when seen together these stories form part of our collective idea about who we are as a nation.

I want to assure you today that this Government is taking heritage seriously. (more…)

The New Zealand Heritage Plaque. (Formerly known as the Heritage Blue Plaque.)

The New Zealand Heritage Plaque. (Formerly known as the Heritage Blue Plaque.)

The New Zealand Heritage Plaque. (Formerly known as the Heritage Blue Plaque.)

 
Are you interested in a New Zealand Heritage Plaque?
The Historic Places Aotearoa Member Organisations are keen to help you with the text, co-ordinate the production etc.
Contact us on the following Email and we’ll give you the contact details of the nearest heritage group: blueplaque@historicplacesaotearoa.org.nz
The New Zealand Heritage Plaque- An Explanation

The New Zealand Heritage Plaques project is a new initiative from Historic Places Mid Canterbury to identify and promote our local built heritage, through the use of a distinctive and bold blue cast aluminium plaque fixed to the facades of our more significant historic buildings.

As well as giving a short history of the building, informing locals and visitors about its particular historical significance, the New Zealand Heritage Plaques aim to increase the prominence of our historic buildings, encouraging increased awareness of our local history and supporting the retention of our existing heritage assets. They also assist in reinforcing the importance and value of these buildings to the local community and help foster a desire to protect and maintain our unique local history and identity.

The success of the project within the Ashburton District has encouraged the group to start promoting the scheme further afield, through Historic Places Aotearoa and its Member Organisations, and eventually take the programme nationwide, creating an instantly recognisable symbol which proudly identifies our nation’s valued built heritage.

Building Amendment Bill- Submissions Are Being Accepted: The Close Off Date For Submissions Is 25 October 2018

Building Amendment Bill
Government Bill
94—1

Explanatory note

General policy statement

"This Bill amends the Building Act 2004 (the Building Act), and proposes 2 new sets of powers to improve the system for managing buildings after an emergency and to provide for investigating building failures.

Managing buildings after an emergency

This Bill proposes new powers that aim to address risks to people and property from buildings during and after an emergency. The proposed amendments seek to create a system that is clear, has proportionate impacts on personal and property rights, and ensures that heritage values are appropriately recognised. ...

"The Bill introduces into the Building Act an end-to-end process for managing buildings from response to recovery following an emergency.

The amendments in the Bill—

  • provide powers to territorial authorities (and where a state of emergency or transition period is in force, the relevant civil defence emergency management person) to manage buildings during and after an emergency event, including—

    • inspecting and placing notices on buildings:

    • evacuating and restricting entry to buildings:

      ...

    • demolishing or carrying out works to buildings that pose a risk of injury or death (including through impacts to critical infrastructure) or a risk of damage or disruption to neighbouring buildings, critical infrastructure, and public thoroughfares:

    • requiring building owners to remove or reduce risks posed by their building, on a case-by-case basis:

  • provide that the Minister for Building and Construction can choose to take direct action and make decisions to manage buildings, when warranted by the scale and impacts of an emergency event: ...

    ...

  • provide that the carrying out of works on certain heritage buildings (Category 1 or wāhi tūpuna on the New Zealand Heritage List or buildings on the National Historic Landmarks/Ngā Manawhenua o Aotearoa me ōna Kōrero Tūturu list) that pose a risk of injury or death is a ministerial decision and require consultation with Heritage New Zealand for works on other heritage buildings:

    Building Amendment Bill details legislative progress,  reports, links for submissions-

    https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_79050/building-amendment-bill

    Link to the Proposed Bill's Text:

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2018/0094/latest/LMS73630.html