Don Chapman

2014 candidate for City of Onkaparinga.
Heritage survey responses.

1. What do you think Council's role is in protecting and conserving heritage?
   I think a major aim of Council's role needs to be to protect, support and celebrate cultural heritage and history in its area. This is a major part of developing strong, vibrant communities in the City of Onkaparinga.

2. What measures and incentives do you support to protect and conserve local heritage?
   The kinds of things I think the Council needs to do are as follows: - celebrate local multicultural history and cultural awareness and diversity - collect, maintain and make accessible documentation about the history and heritage of the City, through the National Trust and our Libraries and schools - promote local history and heritage using on-line technologies - maintain an up-to-date local heritage register of buildings, artefacts and significant trees and places - provide incentives in the form of grants for the preservation of our cultural, natural and built heritage - continue to support the National Trust as a significant partner and stakeholder in heritage conservation and promotion throughout our City

3. What is the most important heritage protection issue in your local government area?
   In terms of natural heritage the Aldinga Scrub Conservation Area is under constant threat as Aldinga housing estates develop and intensify. The heritage buildings owned by the City of Onkaparinga and managed by the National Trust are increasingly in need of essential maintenance but funding is dwindling as demand increases in other budget areas. Volunteer support has been dealt a blow in the last Council budget and needs to be reinstated. The upgrade of the historic Willunga High Street commercial precinct needs to be achieved with the highest possible heritage and conservation values

4. What policies and programs will you advocate to protect and conserve heritage in your local area?
   Strengthening development plan amendments in historic areas to achieve greater heritage and conservation Strategies that promote history and heritage conservation Sufficient funding to achieve heritage and conservation aims

5. Do you support local Councils retaining development approval powers for projects over $3m in value?
   Yes, of course I do. The State Government is trying to take local planning powers away from local Councils meaning that local people and communities will get even less say than they do now. This is a major retrograde step that could have a serious impact on herniate and conservation of natural and built-up areas in our community.

6. Do you have any other thoughts about the protection of heritage in your Council area?