Christel Lorraine Mex
2014 candidate for City of Norwood Payneham and St Peters.
Heritage survey responses.
What do you think Council's role is in protecting and conserving heritage?
Councils need to support and promote more heritage listings and heritage conservation zones so that Australian history and culture can be preserved for future generations. Even with the continuing loss of planning powers, Councils can do more to lobby for better heritage protection.What measures and incentives do you support to protect and conserve local heritage?
I would support increasing grants to building owners to protect heritage buildings. Perhaps Councils could also become co-investors in upgrading important sites and share in the increased capital value. Councils can also do more to promote the value of heritage buildings and heritage conservation zones, by informing the community on the important local history those buildings represent and the importance of our built heritage to our Australian identity.What is the most important heritage protection issue in your local government area?
Reduced investment in heritage grants, the difficulty in declaring local heritage sites and the lack of awareness of the importance of heritage.What policies and programs will you advocate to protect and conserve heritage in your local area?
Again, it is increased funding for heritage grants, innovotive ways to help owners restore buildings, easier processes to declare local heritage sites and increased awareness of the importance of heritage.Do you support local Councils retaining development approval powers for projects over $3m in value?
Yes. Developers come and go, but local communities have to live the results for generations. I am not anti-development but what is wrong with spending a little more time with the local community to get things right. Other cities in Europe do this well, why can't Adelaide?Do you have any other thoughts about the protection of heritage in your Council area?
Perhaps we can start a mentoring programme and free workshops for property owners who don't know where to start or don't have the funds to restore their buildings. We could try volunteer working bees, like the Habitat for Humanity model. We need to raise the profile on the benefits of heritage more generally.