Australian Heritage Commission facts for kids
The Australian Heritage Commission (AHC) was an important group set up by the Australian federal government in 1975. It was the first official body in Australia to look after and manage both natural places (like forests and beaches) and cultural sites (like old buildings or Indigenous heritage areas). The AHC was in charge of the Register of the National Estate, which was a list of special places across Australia. The AHC worked until 2004.
Why the AHC Was Created and What It Did
The Australian Heritage Commission was one of many ideas from the Whitlam Government (a Labor government) to make cultural heritage a bigger focus for the government. In 1972, the leader of the Labor Party, Gough Whitlam, said that his government's main goal would be "to protect and improve the quality of the National Estate."
When the Labor Government came into power in December 1972, they set up a special group called the Committee of Inquiry into the National Estate. This group was asked to find out:
- What the "National Estate" was and what condition it was in.
- What was already being done to protect it.
- What more should be done.
- What role the Australian Government should play.
- How groups like the National Trusts could get public money to help protect these places.
The AHC had a very broad job. It covered natural heritage (like national parks), Indigenous heritage (important Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sites), and historical heritage (old buildings, towns, and places from Australia's past).
The idea for the AHC first came from the Committee of Inquiry into the National Estate in April 1973. This committee, led by Mr Justice R.M. Hope, told the government in August 1974 that "uncontrolled development" and "progress" had badly affected Australia's special places. They asked for "quick action and public education" to stop more damage.
An Interim Committee on the National Estate was then formed in August 1974. This group continued the work and started to create a national plan for the National Estate. They were inspired by UNESCO's (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) work on an "International Estate."
The Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975 officially created the AHC on June 19, 1975. The Commission was a statutory authority. This means it was a government body set up by a law, with specific powers and duties. It reported to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment. The AHC had a part-time Chairman and six part-time Commissioners. These people were chosen because they had special skills and interest in protecting Australia's natural and cultural environment. They would meet several times a year to guide the AHC's work.
Rules and Guidelines
In the 1980s and 1990s, the AHC created many important policy documents. These documents became the standard way of doing things in heritage protection across Australia. Experts like Jane Lennon and Michael Pearson played a big part in this. The first meeting of the AHC members was held on July 27, 1976, led by David Yencken. A small team of staff helped the Chairman and Commissioners with their work.
A very important part of the AHC's job was creating the Register of the National Estate. This Register was a list of places that had "aesthetic (beauty), historic, scientific, or social significance." These places were considered special for future generations as well as for people living today.
The AHC was a major force in encouraging other state and local heritage groups to protect important places. It was one of the first to set up clear guidelines, standards, and rules for deciding if a place was important and how to manage it. For example, they developed the Australian Historic Themes. These themes helped heritage professionals across the country research and assess the importance of different places in a consistent way.
The Commission also set up rules for deciding which places should be added to the Register of the National Estate. Many of these rules have since been used and changed by most state and community heritage groups in Australia.
End of the AHC
The AHC was formed just as the Fraser Government (a Liberal-Country coalition government) came into power. It soon faced criticism from mining and development companies. The government itself also questioned the AHC's decisions. This happened with issues like the Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu National Park and the proposed Gordon-below-Franklin dam. The dam site had been placed on the World Heritage List in 1983, which caused a big debate.
The AHC was eventually closed down by the Howard Government (another Liberal-National coalition government). On February 19, 2004, the Australian Heritage Council was created to take its place.
