Deputy Premier
Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning
Minister for Aborignal Affairs
Minister for Housing

I was pleased to open the Adaptive Re-use Conference in November, which was a very successful conference organised by the National Trust. I am a strong supporter of the adaptive re-use of heritage places, which I see an essential component of nearly all successful heritage conservation.

Transforming old buildings achieves a number of good results: it retains the heritage significance of the item; it provides economic benefits, including jobs; and it contributes to an ecologically sustainable environment by extending the life of old building materials. We can reduce the consumption of finite resources, reduce the production of building wastes, and we can show that not only is recycling less wasteful, it is often cheaper in the long run.

A recent publication from English Heritage describes sustainable development as focussing "on sustaining or improving the quality of life of successive generations of human beings. The notion of passing on a sound legacy to the future is central to the sustainability argument. Leaving a sound legacy cannot be achieved without the sustainability of the cultural, semi-natural and natural environment on which our societies depend".

The retention of existing buildings that are valued by the community enhances our environment. We should also be aware that many traditional materials can be repaired at a far lower environmental cost than the manufacture of new materials, and at the same time we are able to sustain traditional heritage trades as evidenced by our Heritage Trades Training Strategy.

The Heritage Act and our heritage management system means that some buildings that could have been lost forever are now used in a contemporary context and have a secure future.

Great cities and communities don't happen by chance - they need to be planned, with interested parties from community groups to developers engaged in the process. Heritage considerations are recognised as a key part of the planning system, so that we get the balance right between heritage and development.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Heritage Council and all the staff of the Heritage Office for their hard work throughout 2000.