Penny Richardson

2014 candidate for City of Mount Gambier.
Heritage survey responses.

1. What do you think Council's role is in protecting and conserving heritage?
   Council has a legislative role in protecting and conserving heritage according to State Government requirements and through local government planning and policies. I believe strongly in protecting and conserving heritage and especially our first nation's people's history and heritage and I believe that it is a whole of community responsibility to ensure that we preserve and protect not only that which is prescribed by governments, but the social history of our communities.

2. What measures and incentives do you support to protect and conserve local heritage?
   I always support the advice from our Heritage advisor and go in to bat for protection of areas which may not be protected under legislation including the Old Railway Land's features in Mount Gambier. I fully support Council's financial contribution to renovations for homeowners who are restoring and maintain their wonderful heritage properties and also projects which assist and promote the indigenous culture and heritage in our locality - this includes language.

3. What is the most important heritage protection issue in your local government area?
   I think the most important heritage protection issue in our local government area is getting other elected members and the community to value our heritage and to understand that it is important to know our heritage to be able to understand where we are in the community today.

4. What policies and programs will you advocate to protect and conserve heritage in your local area?
   I will continue to promote the retention of local heritage areas and built form when issues arise in our Council area. I will continue to work on our Social Inclusion and Community Engagement Committee to ensure that our Indigenous heritage is acknowledged, preserved and the community is educated in its value.

5. Do you support local Councils retaining development approval powers for projects over $3m in value?
   Definitely. This is our community, which we know best and therefore we are in the best position to make decisions about projects of any value.

6. Do you have any other thoughts about the protection of heritage in your Council area?
   I don't think the preservation of heritage is high enough on the agenda or in the minds of elected members and quite often decisions are made because they don't like the look of a heritage object/building instead of reflecting upon its uniqueness and value in our history. I would like to see that National Trust make a presentation to elected members regarding the intrinsic value of preserving and protecting our heritage instead of reacting to modern day superficiality and materialism.