A message from Michael Collins Chair of the Heritage Council I am pleased to be writing my first message to the readers of Heritage NSW as the new Chair of the Heritage Council. For the last three years I have been privileged to perform the role of Deputy Chair during Hazel Hawke's term as Chair. It is a daunting task to follow in the footsteps of a much-loved public figure like Mrs Hawke. That is just one of the many challenges facing me as we move into the next phase of developing a heritage system that truly fulfils the Heritage Council's charter: helping the community to conserve our heritage. The work of the Heritage Council is guided by the strategic plan which was developed two years ago to steer us into the 21st century. It has set us on a positive course towards the goal of a well-integrated heritage system in NSW. It is clear to me that we are having some success in communicating the central message behind the plan - that heritage is a community asset, and is indeed meaningless without the cooperative partnership of owners, developers, local councils, historical societies and community groups. All these organisations have a role to play in finding a sensible balance between heritage conservation and development opportunities. Good heritage planning is about living with the past, not in the past. I believe that most of our partners are aware of that distinction. We all want to understand the lives of previous generations while developing positive proposals for the future. I look forward to playing an active role in encouraging greater community involvement in heritage during my term as Chair of the Heritage Council of NSW. Director of the Heritage Office, Reece McDougall, and Chair of the Heritage Council, Michael Collins, at the launch of the new Local Government Heritage Guidelines. From the Minister Andrew Refshauge MP Deputy Premier Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Housing I want to begin by saying how pleased I am that following the retirement of Hazel Hawke as Chair of the Heritage Council and Rosalind Strong as Director of the Heritage Office, we have such capable successors in these positions as Michael Collins and Reece McDougall respectively. I am confident that the leadership of heritage management issues in NSW is in very good hands, and I look forward to working with Michael and Reece. The State Heritage Register continues to grow, with nearly 1400 items listed. At the National Trust Suburbia Conference in February, I announced the addition of 16 Trust properties to the register. These properties include the Everglades, Norman Lindsay Gallery and Woodford Academy in the Blue Mountains, Harper's Mansion in Berrima, the Tenterfield School of Arts and the Walter Burley Griffin Lodge at Avalon. We've also added a significant item of movable heritage with the listing of the NSW Fire Brigades "No 10" vehicle number plates. The collection includes the original single "No 10" vitreous enamel plate issued in 1910 and a replacement set issued in 1937, which is still in use on the vehicle of the Chief Commissioner of the NSW Fire Brigades. I've recently announced the intention to add Parliament House to the State Heritage Register. The NSW Parliament House is the longest operating Parliament building anywhere in the world where the Westminster system operates. It is even older than the Houses of Parliament in London, which were rebuilt following the destruction by fire of the original buildings in the 1830s, and is much older than any other parliament house in Australasia. Parliament House is a place rich in history, and will join other iconic sites on the register such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Centennial Parklands and the Botanic Gardens. The Government has also announced its decision to transfer Linnwood Hall to the Heritage Office. Linnwood Hall is a significant heritage item to the people of Guildford, and the Heritage Office will work with the community to develop a plan for the long-term use of the building. I am looking forward to a busy Heritage Week at the end of April, and to announcing more listings on the State Heritage Register.