Foreword

Old Parliament House is of outstanding significance to the nation. As the first purpose built parliament house, it is a physical icon of Australian democracy. It is representative of Australia’s parliamentary political process, and has been a focus for events that reflect Australian democratic values, and political rights and obligations.

As home to the Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House continues to surprise and delight visitors. In this nationally significant building, our vision is to create a vibrant and contemporary hub that empowers civic and individual engagement in the democratic process. This vision will be achieved in harmony with the heritage values of the place that recognise, preserve and communicate the spirit of Australian democracy.

The proper conservation and sustainable use of built and cultural heritage is an enduring ambition shared by communities around Australia. The Old Parliament House and Curtilage Heritage Management Plan provides a rigorous management framework for the heritage values of the place. This is the third version of the plan. This update is a result of a review, including a public consultation process, which was undertaken in 2020. The plan meets the requirements for management plans for National and Commonwealth Heritage places, as pursuant to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Regulations 2000.

Old Parliament House staff demonstrate leadership, expertise and innovation in heritage conservation and management. Our award-winning conservation projects have delivered outcomes that recognise the important relationships between heritage conservation, sustainability and access. The management plan is a practical document used by staff to identify, protect, conserve, present and transmit the heritage values of Old Parliament House for current and future generations.

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