Tony Wiedeman

2014 candidate for City of Burnside.
Heritage survey responses.

What do you think Council's role is in protecting and conserving heritage?
Councils are the front line providers to the Community, therefore they have delivery roles in: - heritage listing - heritage encouragement, including: local mapping, interpretive signs, heritage plaques, etc
What measures and incentives do you support to protect and conserve local heritage?
Government, including Councils should lead by example, and maintain their own heritage buildings, knowledge & history. They should also utilise heritage and important properties in their own administrations & service delivery, thus keeping these properties 'alive' in the community. Council rates should be reformed to remove the 'potential value' being the rates & taxes basis, as this encourages demolition and division rather we should be encouraging improvement and enhancement. Similarly, rate review can consider rates & taxes discount/removal for NFP organisations that are providing services to the community. These NFP's are often working from properties which have heritage and community value, which they are maintaining for the future.
What is the most important heritage protection issue in your local government area?
In our Ward, we have the Glenside Hospital buildings & grounds, which are being encroached upon, and this resource is nearly lost to the futue. We also have [potential] linear corridors along the creek lines which were the basis for early settlement. Their remnants provide a great source of recreational areas, and large gum retention, and they may be linked over time to enhance and balance the 'infill' pressures.
What policies and programs will you advocate to protect and conserve heritage in your local area?
Policies in this area that I support are: - rating based on current use, to remove the pressure for re-development - reviewing the rates to services delivered, rather than capital gains taxing, to remove the differential pressure between new and older properties - maintaining an active Local Heritage register - supporting a program of heritage plaques and interpretive signs - supporting a system of 'community theme' for Council works, eg beachside, Cornish mining, etc; which is broadening some 'street theme' activities of traders, across the community; thus enhancing their community and improving property presentation , etc - I would support selling heritage areas and building, one a 100 year lease with conservation & maintenance requirements [eg French model], to allow the buildings & properties to 'live' and be maintained.
Do you support local Councils retaining development approval powers for projects over $3m in value?
I support councils retaining their approval powers. But, I also believe that the development process is difficult and cumbersome for all applicants [small and big]; and is a cost burden to our rates. We need a better, & simpler, method to meet our current needs.
Do you have any other thoughts about the protection of heritage in your Council area?
State & Federal governments should run their operations out of heritage properties, rather than committing large funds to move into new developments, which in turn can only be funded by remote landlords. Much of the government activity is administration, and can therefore be housed in maintained heritage properties. Every development application could have a criteria of 'heritage enhancement' to be addressed by the applicants. Tis could be as simple as choosing empathetic street lamps, signage, locality naming, colours, etc. I does not need to 'impede progress' but can enhance the result.