OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE AND CURTILAGE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2008–2013

D. History of the Place
Part D – Appendices
302 Old Parliament House and Curtilage Heritage Management Plan 2008–2013
1985 The National Capital Development Commission bespoke the first conservation management
plan on the recommendation from the Joint Standing Committee to assist in the decision making
process for the future use of OPH. This plan was largely based on the architectural values of
the building and recommended that all post-1927 additions and alterations be removed.
1987 Old Parliament House was entered on the Register of the National Estate.
c1990 A Good Weekend article quotes Billy Snedden stating in 1985 to blow up the old house when it
fell empty. Also in this article Gough Whitlam says “What are you going to keep? The historic building is
much smaller than the additions. Obviously you have to keep the steps.” Bill Hayden stated that it should
be restored to its 1927 configuration incorporating public access and a museum of Federation. Oodgeroo
Noonuccal (Kath Walker) recommended that the building be turned over to the Aboriginal Embassy.
1992 The Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Zone stated that “as Australia
moves towards its 100 years of Federation there could be no more fitting way to commemorate
the significance of Federation than by restoring Old Parliament House to remind Australia
of the developments that have taken place during those first 100 years.”
The Federal Government decided to implement a new single management authority for Old Parliament
House within the former Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA).
As part of the process of transferring the management of Old Parliament House from the Department of
Administrative Services to DCITA, a second conservation management plan aimed to clarify the significance of
the building was completed. This plan contained six broad policies. No further research was undertaken for
this plan and it recommends superficial preservation of 1927-1988 building fabric. The Australian Heritage
Council stated at this time that the question of removing either of the wings was a major matter of contention.
During this decade of uncertainty, two conservation management plans were prepared for Old Parliament
House. This uncertainty of the role and function for the place ultimately led to uncertainty surrounding
the place’s heritage values. The first conservation management plan in 1986 advocated the removal of all
additions to the building since its opening in 1927. Some activities and building works undertaken during this
period compromised the heritage values irrevocably. These activities/works included: expatriation of furniture;
Members’ Dining Room refurbishment and new commercial kitchen; and the Non-Members Bar refurbishment.
In 1996, the second conservation management plan advocated the retention of the 1988 configuration of
Old Parliament House to ensure the full story of the evolution of the provisional parliament house can be told
but recommended that large tracts of the building need only have exterior facades conserved to represent
this significance. Building work during this conservation management plan included the South West Wing
asbestos removal and refurbishment and the Parliamentary Library and Lower Library refurbishment.
2000 The Conservation Management Plan (CMP) 2000 completed, a significant evolution from the two
preceding plans. For the first time conservation planning at OPH was developed as an integral management tool
with the subsequent plan the primary reference document for decision making. The plan outlined 46 specific
policies covering issues such as training, building works, use of the place, interpretation and movable heritage.
The CMP2000 clearly stated the significance of the place being founded in the building’s
full life as the home of federal parliament and that significance must guide and inform
decision making. The internal standard definitions for OPH consider the term ‘original’ to
mean any heritage fabric, fitting or furnishing relating to the period 1923 to 1988. 83
2000-06 A number of detailed heritage analyses on specific areas of the building were completed to augment
the CMP2000 (see Appendix K). These studies assisted in the overall knowledge and understanding of
the heritage values of the place and have provided valuable guidance during conservation and capital
works projects which included the: North Wing roof refurbishment; the Members Private Dining Room
refurbishment; and conservation work completed on the House of Representatives Press Offices.
2003 Amendments to the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 came into effect,
introducing the Commonwealth and National Heritage Lists and the Australian Heritage Council.
CMP2000 policies reviewed in light of information in the heritage analyses completed since 2000.
2004 Old Parliament House added to the Commonwealth Heritage List.
2005 HMP 2005, a redraft of the CMP2000 (as amended in 2003) in line with new heritage legislation.
2006 Old Parliament House added to the National Heritage List.
New Heritage Management Plan drafted, informed by the HMP 2005.
83 Construction commenced in 1923 and therefore elements of the early building fabric pre-date the official opening in May 1927.