Disturbing Report Card for Endangered Places

Media Release - Canberra, 12 August 2002

"This is a disheartening Report, and one which will alarm communities and should disturb authorities", said Chairman of the Australian Council of National Trusts, Simon Molesworth today, as he released the Annual Report on the fate of places nominated to the National Trust's Endangered Places List in 2001.

"How can so many places languish for lack of attention, when each State and Territory has its own protective regime?" he asked. "Is it lack of resources or lack of commitment?"

The Report points out that of the 33 places nominated in 2001, 12 were lost or severely compromised, only six had acceptable outcomes. 15 places remain under threat of demolition, development or degradation - many through administrative neglect.

In this, the Year of the Outback, the Report also reveals that all four Endangered Places nominated from the Northern Territory continue to deteriorate in the absence of any substantial or decisive action to protect them.

Furthermore, Victorian places fared badly. The Member's Pavilion at the MCG is to be demolished, while several unique structures continue to suffer official disinterest and neglect including HMVS Cerberus, now visibly disintegrating, and the ETA factory building, which now faces partial or complete demolition.

"The continued community dissatisfaction with intensive development proposals for inner city sites such as Callan Park, Pentridge, Malabar Headland and Annerley, should warn governments that planning which is insensitive to community values will be resisted," said Mr Molesworth. "Half the Endangered Places nominated in the past four years have been threatened through urban consolidation pressures, many of these contested sites remain unresolved.

"Governments should re-evaluate their dollar-driven disposal policies," added Mr Molesworth, "and hearken to the broader community interest which wants to retain heritage places, to restrain intensive development, and to resolve conflict constructively with an eye to future legacies, not present budgets."

"The protection of the 'garden suburbs' of Canberra - the one substantial success of the 2001 Endangered Places campaign - demonstrates how constructive community-driven resolution can be. It is to be hoped that such successful outcomes will be reached for significant city precincts such as Perth's West End, and the East End of Adelaide, each of which will remain threatened until clear protective planning protocols are developed," said Mr Molesworth.

The 2001 Endangered Places Report demonstrates places will languish and continue to be lost until governments resolve to work with communities to counter balance the pressures which are currently destroying so many of Australia's most treasured places.

For more information contact
The Australian Council of National Trusts:

Marie Wood, National Conservation Manager (02) 6247 6766