Victorian Campaign Strategy
Greetings
Heritage enthusiasts and heritage stakeholders across Victoria – special interest groups and individuals – all recognise that heritage assets of all kinds have immense cultural, social and economic value. The majority of politicians in our state are not aware of this. Unlike other states, the value of heritage is not acknowledged at ministerial level in Victoria. The word ‘heritage’ is absent from political consciousness across the political spectrum.
Victoria has no Ministry of Heritage, consequently heritage funding is perpetually inadequate. Irreplaceable heritage assets of all kinds have already been lost in Victoria or are under threat. If we are to adequately to preserve, manage heritage assets in Victoria, a re-set in policy settings is required.
The forthcoming 2022 Victorian State Election presents an opportunity to influence heritage policy (and politicians) in Victoria.
AHAA (Victoria) has developed an election campaign strategy to raise awareness that the current heritage asset preservation policies in this state are failing.
The purpose of this email is to introduce Victorian heritage stakeholders – individual enthusiasts and organisations to the Victorian AHAA Survey Campaign – visit the AHAA website at https://ahaa.net.au/
With the help of the very many heritage enthusiasts and stakeholders in Victoria, the AHAA (VICTORIA) Campaign will endeavour to break through decades of political apathy and failure to recognise the significant ‘value’ of Victoria’s unique heritage assets. Squandering irreplaceable heritage assets must cease.
The AHAA (VICTORIA) Campaign aims to inform candidates and influence the election policy agenda by:
- Reminding all heritage stakeholders that we are numerous, well-informed, articulate and influential and that we vote in significant numbers
- Informing candidates in all electorates around Victoria that heritage assets are public assets of immense value, yet, in the absence of adequate policies and political will, are being lost.
- Highlighting the urgent need for state national heritage policy reform – including serious consideration of the range of AHAA ‘solutions’. See https://ahaa.net.au/analysis-and-solutions/#solutions
We now seek your assistance for the first stage of the AHAA (VICTORIA) Campaign:
1. Please help us by thinking about your particular heritage interests in your locality in Victoria (tangible, intangible, natural – there are many forms)
2. Then simply list three examples of heritage assets actually Lost, and three heritage assets Under Threat. Email your examples to AHAA – info@ahaa.net.au. Your examples will be added to those already listed for Victoria on the AHAA website at https://ahaa.net.au/heritage-lost-threatened/The Victorian list is alarming already. Your names will not appear on the site but you will be contributing to a collective archive recording the ‘state of the nation’ in relation to national heritage preservation in 2022.
3. Finally, we hope that you will forward this email to members of your diverse organisations, heritage stakeholder groups or individuals to assist in promoting greater awareness that heritage preservation is a significant and serious issue during the 2022 Victorian election.