Bronwyn Lewis

2018 candidate for Alexandrina Council.
Heritage survey responses.

1. Do you agree that the identification and protection of local heritage places is best done by local councils rather than DPTI (Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure)?
   Yes, some properties are of local significance and the Staff at DPTI will not necessarily know the history. An example was given by a fellow candidate whereby a property was demolished due to the fact the community was unaware of the development proposal and the paper work for DPTI was onerous so the Councillor failed to do it.

2. In your opinion, has the current system of local heritage protection served your community well?
   In Port Elliot generally, but there has been a few unsympathetic buildings in recent time due to a lack of a strategic plan by Council. There are several heritage buildings in desperate need of maintenance and the Council needs to create a long term heritage maintenance plan to both budget and deliver this.

3. Should councils reject proposals to list local places of historic merit simply because an owner objects?
   No it should be a community and specialist consultation. Often developers buy thinking they can over turn the status.

4. Should neighbours of local heritage listed buildings have a right of appeal on development applications that propose demolition?
   Absolutely - once they have gone you can't get them back - if there is a heritage overlay that should be adhered to and thought through creatively. Rather than building a new building, a sympathetic addition or renovation could be the answer if money is not the only goal of the development.

5. Should buildings listed as Contributory Items in your council area receive better protection?
   Yes, there was the case in Kew when Ngara the birthplace of Gough Whitlam was demolished - this would not have happened with a sympathetic Government but the State Government overturned the Council - it was an example of disgraceful bullying and completely against the community sentiment.

6. Do you agree that places proposed for listing by your council as Local Heritage or Contributory Items should be subject to review by DPTI? Or would reviews be more appropriately conducted by an independent source of expert advice?
   I believe that Independent advice and community consultation is the answer - too often bureaucrats just want to get the file off their desk and have little regard for community sentiment. As a graduate in Australian History I am appalled at some of the "government" decisions.

7. Would you like to see your council work more closely with the National Trust of SA in protecting heritage, for example, by signing up as one of the Trust's Civic Partners?
   Yes

8. What are your personal suggestions for improving the way your council handles policy and planning?
   A heritage master plan of the area and community consultation, working with the National Trust.

9. Should councils actively encourage individuals to nominate places for consideration as local heritage?
   Yes, sometimes place of interest slip through the net.