Martin Haese: Adelaide’s heritage must be protected at all costs

WE must never be complacent about the value of heritage buildings and their impact on Adelaide’s economy, identity and character, writes Martin Haese.

We must never see a repeat of the atrocities of the 1960s and 1970s where so many of Adelaide’s masterpieces fell victim to the wrecking ball, writes Martin Haese.

BLINK and you would have missed it. The State Government earlier this month ever so quietly dropped its plans to reform local heritage building laws.

I welcomed this move, as rushing changes to the way our heritage buildings are identified, listed and protected could lead to unintended and irreversible outcomes.

I am an unashamedly vocal advocate for the protection of our local and state heritage assets. They are the heart and soul of the City of Adelaide and beyond.

Our heritage buildings have architectural merit, historical significance, unrealised tourism potential and contribute to why Adelaide is the fifth most liveable city in the world.

The success of the recent Adelaide Town Hall open day is testimony to how our heritage places are appreciated by locals and tourists, evidenced not only by the thousands who attended but also through the many comments about the grandeur and maintenance of our 151-year-old civic building.

However, Adelaide has not always appreciated the merits of maintaining its heritage places. Throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s many of our grandest buildings were destroyed. To my mind, the worst example of this period was the demolition of the Jubilee Exhibition Building on North Terrace.

The demolition of the Aurora Hotel in December, 1983, was a watershed moment in the fight to preserve Adelaide’s heritage buildings.

This site was home to many pivotal moments in South Australia’s history and I was delighted to assist Professor Christine Garnaut publish her biography of the Jubilee Exhibition and the building last year.

For those old enough to remember, the demolition of the Aurora Hotel is seen as a tipping point in our state’s heritage conservation and I still recall the community uproar during the final meeting of the Aurora Hotel prior to its demolition in December, 1983.

It was SA’s most strenuous campaign to recognise and protect heritage buildings, involving union bans, court injunctions and a month-long picket by the Aurora Action Group.

While the movement was unfortunately unable to save the site, it changed the perception of the value of heritage in South Australia.

Since that time, councils including the City of Adelaide, many local MPs and organisations such as the National Trust have continued to advocate for the retention and maintenance of our heritage sites.

Upon learning about the government’s intentions to review the heritage laws in September last year, I convened a number of Town Hall meetings to show how passionate South Australians are about our heritage assets.

Indeed, I believe it was ultimately a National Trust paper on local heritage which led the government to shelve its heritage reforms for the remainder of this parliamentary term.

This is not to say that there isn’t room to modernise our heritage planning system or pursue new developments in the city.

I know that for many home and building owners, the listing of properties can be overly cumbersome.

The Aurora Hotel was demolished despite intense community opposition, including pickets and court challenges.

Others may be put off from renovating ageing heritage properties as they see the application process as a bureaucratic nightmare.

There are many worthy measures which the government and council are pursuing, such as a funding mechanism to help building owners to access competitive fixed interest loans to improve energy, water and waste efficiency of existing commercial buildings and undertake upgrades to heritage buildings.

In addition, the council’s long-running Heritage Incentive Scheme provided funding for homeowners to maintain and improve their heritage properties.

On any measure, Adelaide has the best heritage buildings in the nation.

We must never be complacent about the value of these buildings and their impact on Adelaide’s economy, identity and character.

We must never see a repeat of the atrocities of the 1960s and 1970s where so many of Adelaide’s masterpieces fell victim to the wrecking ball.

I applaud the State Government on holding off on its reforms until there is more time to formally consult on an amended system and implore everyone to remain aware of the importance of these beloved assets.

Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

MARTIN HAESE IS LORD MAYOR OF ADELAIDE