11. Action Proposal Process

11.1. Background

The Action Proposal Process captures all relevant proposed actions in and on Old Parliament House

and provides a robust, transparent process for planning and decision-making. All decisions about matters which have the potential to have an impact on the heritage values and that require expert advice are addressed through this process.

The process is designed to fulfil the requirements of:

Schedule 5A Management Plans for National Heritage Places Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 and Schedule 7A Management Plans for Commonwealth Heritage Places Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000.

and for external proposed actions:

Section 12(1)(b) of the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act 1988
Appendix T6: Parliamentary Zone Master Plan of the National Capital Plan
The Parliament Act 1974.

The Action Proposal Process has been derived from consideration of the:

core principles
mapped heritage values
zones
policies
historical research for the room/area
physical description and condition data for room/area.

11.2. How to use the Action Proposal Process

The Action Proposal Process is constructed around the zones and policies that provide relevant information on the place. The steps to follow when proposing an action are outlined below.

Actions include activities, projects, developments and undertakings that will occur on or in Old Parliament House and are more fully defined in the Glossary (see Appendix J). The Implementation Plan (see Chapter 14) is a list of tasks that enact the policies. While the Implementation Plan may be a starting point from which Action Proposals begin, it is in no way comprehensive and does not capture many of the events undertaken in the operation of Old Parliament House.

The Action Proposal Process begins with the identification of a proposed action and its location. The next step involves reference to this Heritage Management Plan to determine the zone in which the proposed action will take place; this can be done either via the Heritage Management Interactive or via an electronic or hardcopy of the plan. The determination of the zone will give an overview of the values and appropriate activities of the space.

From the zones, a check of the Permitted Action Schedule (see Chapter 12) will allow the responsible party to determine whether the action is allowed – following the guidelines of the schedule – or whether it will require assessment by the Actions Committee.