Statutes Amendment (Heritage) Bill
It is a great pleasure to speak in this place on any bill that improves the protection of our state's heritage, but I am particularly pleased to be able to speak in support of this bill, the Statutes Amendment (Heritage) Bill 2025, a significant piece of legislation that strengthens the protection of our state's irreplaceable heritage places while streamlining our planning processes.
Our heritage buildings and sites are not merely bricks and mortar, they are the physical embodiment of our state's history, culture and identity. Each heritage place tells a unique story about South Australia's journey and, once lost, these stories can never be fully recovered. From the iconic Adelaide Town Hall to the historic Port Adelaide Lighthouse, from our 19th-century churches to our colonial-era warehouses, these structures stand as testament to the vision and craftsmanship of those who came before us.
I grew up in old houses, sometimes rundown, usually in a constant process of being renovated. I love the history that our old and early buildings hold. I love the architecture, their beauty and their dimensions. When I moved to the Norwood area over a decade ago, it was this beauty and history of the character and heritage buildings I fell in love with. It felt like home. I know that much of my community feels the same way. In fact, over the last four years as I have been doorknocking in my community and holding community meetings, it is one of the most common issues raised. We love our character and heritage buildings. We want them protected.
The Malinauskas government has listened and has delivered and in this bill continues to deliver. This bill delivers specifically on our government's election commitment to better protect State Heritage Places, particularly regarding proposals for their demolition. The amendments before us today represent the most significant reform to heritage protection in our state in recent years and there are some key elements of these changes.
First and foremost, the bill establishes a robust process requiring proponents seeking to demolish a State Heritage Place to obtain a comprehensive assessment report from the South Australian Heritage Council. This requirement serves several crucial purposes and I want to elaborate on why this step is so essential. Many of our heritage listings, particularly those from decades past, lack the detailed documentation we expect by today's standards. Some of these places were listed with minimal information about their historical significance, architectural merit or cultural value.
The contemporary assessment this bill mandates will ensure decisions about demolition are based on current thorough evaluations of a site's heritage significance. However, we must acknowledge that heritage significance is not static. The cultural or historic importance of a place can evolve over time. A building that was listed primarily for its architectural features might, decades later, have acquired additional significance through its role in important community events or its association with notable South Australians.
This new assessment process ensures we capture these evolving values. The bill specifically addresses complete demolition of heritage places and for good reason. While partial demolition and adaptive reuse often allows us to preserve heritage values while accommodating new development, total demolition is final and irreversible. It effectively removes a place from our Heritage Register permanently. That is why we have created a process that demands careful consideration and multiple layers of scrutiny.
The bill builds in practical timeframes that balance thoroughness with efficiency. The Heritage Council will have 10 weeks to prepare their assessment report, a period that provides adequate time for proper evaluation while giving developers certainty about timeframes. This is not an arbitrary number. It reflects careful consultation with heritage experts, planning authorities and development industry stakeholders.
One of the most important aspects of this legislation is the mandatory public consultation period. Every South Australian deserves a voice in decisions that affect our shared heritage. This is not just about procedure. It is about recognising that our heritage belongs to all of us. Public consultation has already proved invaluable in other heritage matters, such as the provisional entry of places into the Heritage Register. It often brings to light historical information, community connections and cultural values that might otherwise have been overlooked.
The bill also introduces a crucial layer of accountability, while requiring these reports to be tabled in parliament. This means that decisions about our most significant Heritage Places will be subject to scrutiny by all members of this house, rather than resting with a single minister or authority. This parliamentary oversight reflects the gravity of any decision about the future of State Heritage Places and ensures proper democratic scrutiny of significant choices.
Practical amendments to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 have also been made to ensure these new requirements are clearly signposted for developers and seamlessly integrated into the planning process. This includes requiring the heritage assessment report to be submitted with any development application for demolition. These changes are not just administrative; they are about creating a clear, transparent process that all stakeholders can understand and follow.
The question might be asked why the bill requires this assessment before a development application can be lodged. The answer is simple: it provides certainty. Developers will know exactly where they stand regarding a site's heritage significance before investing significant resources in detailed development plans. This approach actually saves time and money in the long run by identifying any major heritage concerns at the outset.
I want to emphasise that this bill is not about stopping development; in fact, we have seen numerous examples across the state where heritage buildings have been successfully integrated into new developments, creating unique and valuable spaces that combine historical character with modern functionality. The Mayfair Hotel in Adelaide is a prime example where a heritage-listed building has been transformed into a world-class hotel by preserving its historical significance.
What this bill does is ensure that when we are faced with proposals to demolish our heritage places entirely, we make those decisions with full knowledge of what we stand to lose, with input from experts and the community and with proper oversight from this parliament.
In closing, this bill strikes a careful balance between development and heritage preservation. It recognises that while our city must grow and evolve, we have a responsibility to ensure this does not come at the cost of erasing our history. These amendments provide the framework for making informed, transparent decisions about our heritage places, decisions that will affect not just our generation but those that follow. I commend this bill to the house.