OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE AND CURTILAGE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2008–2013

I0. Collection Management Policy
Part C – Implementation Tools
220 Old Parliament House and Curtilage Heritage Management Plan 2008–2013
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Old Parliament House history
The idea of a centralised Australian Parliament was proposed in the 1890’s during the Federation debates. After
much debate the site for Parliament was agreed in 1908, but it was not until 1927 that Parliament House
(Old Parliament House [OPH] as we know it today) first opened its doors as the “provisional” home of Australian
Government (it was planned to serve for only 50 years). The building was designed by Commonwealth architect
John Smith Murdoch, who also controlled the design of the interiors, continuing his approach of simple
geometric patterns and plain surfaces. He sought to make every element of the building conform to his sense
of style-even furniture and fittings, right down to wastepaper bins, were made under his artistic control 1 . As the
number of staff swelled over the following years, so did the building itself, adding wings and extra rooms at various
times during its history.
Parliament House ceased operation as the National Parliament in 1988, when New Parliament House opened. The
building remained closed for four years until it was re-opened in 1992 as “Old Parliament House” operating as a
“living Museum of Political History” 2 , initially managed by the Department of Administrative Services. It is
currently managed as an Executive Agency of the Australian Government. Initially OPH was not
considered to be a collecting institution, but over the years it became apparent that there was a need to augment
existing OPH collections with material that built upon the collection, and helped to tell the stories about Australian
political life. It is this collection development need, along with the need to carefully manage those collections
already in the OPH collection that is the driving force behind this Collection Management Policy and its
accompanying procedures.
OPH was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004 and the National Heritage List in 2006, under the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. The protection of the place and the
heritage collection are through these listings. Accordingly, the Old Parliament House and Curtilage Heritage
Management Plan (HMP) 2008–2013 states that this Collection Management Policy must be used as
the principal guide for decisions about the collections (Policy 1.10)
In the 2006-07 federal Budget, the Australian Government committed $31.5 million over four years for the
establishment of the Gallery of Australian Democracy (GAD) and the Australian Prime Ministers Centre (APMC)
at Old Parliament House. GAD is scheduled to be open in mid-2009. It will deliver a comprehensive program of
exhibitions, education, research, scholarship and outreach activities relating to Australia’s democratic history
and traditions.
The APMC forms a core component of the Gallery of Australian Democracy. The first stage was launched in June
2007. The main features of the Centre include an exhibition that focuses on Australia’s 25 prime ministers, and a
research facility for study into their governments, lives and achievements. OPH is working closely with national
collecting institutions such as the National Archives of Australia, the National Library of Australia, the National
Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia, to improve access to prime ministerial records
throughout Australia.
1.2 Heritage value of the collections
The collections of Old Parliament House, especially the Heritage collection (see Section 2), have unique historical
value to Australia in that it is cited in the official Commonwealth Heritage List Table of Values under criteria A
and B, and in the official National Heritage List Table of Values under criteria A, B and C. Outlined below is an
extract from the official National Heritage List Table of Values under criterion A. This provides a brief summary of
significance. More detailed statements can be found in the Old Parliament House Heritage Management Plan:
‘...document the history of changes to the occupational history of the building. [The Heritage Collection] is
important because it has remained within the architectural envelope for which it was designed and because of its
associations with the political process of government, the ceremonial, administrative, promotional and recreational
functions conducted within the building, and with the individuals who governed Australia from 1927 to 1988.’ 3
1.3 Collection Management Policy background
This Collection Management Policy document outlines the primary policies by which OPH collects and
manages objects for the OPH collection. The procedures by which these policies are implemented
are in a separate document entitled ‘Old Parliament House Collection Management Procedures’.
This Collection Management Policy document was written in 2004, and reviewed in June 2007 to
allow for the new collecting focus that will be required with the opening of the APMC and planned
permanent exhibitions relating to Australian democracy. The policy should be reviewed at least
every five years to ensure that it continues to meet OPH’s strategic and operational goals.
1 Old Parliament House Website “The Birth of the House”
2 Old Parliament House Website “To Demolish or not to demolish”
3 Old Parliament House Conservation Management Plan 2000 p93