6. Risk Management

6.1. Background

Risk management is integral to the management of the National and Commonwealth Heritage values of Old Parliament House and is embedded in the policies and tools of this Heritage Management Plan. Risk management is an ongoing activity undertaken by staff to ensure that judicious decisions are made to manage the place’s heritage values.

A risk management approach is used to effectively manage changes to the place. Change is an essential activity that ensures Old Parliament House remains relevant and vital; it can present both risks and opportunities to the heritage values. Change is often necessary to ensure legislative compliance.

Compliance with legislation that protects the heritage values must be balanced with the Building Code of Australia, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cwlth), the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwlth) and other Australian standards. Catering to the diverse needs of the various users of the place – including visitors, staff and tenants – may also prompt change activities.

The tools used to manage change at Old Parliament House include the Action Proposal Process (Chapter 11), the Permitted Action Schedule (Chapter 12), and the Old Parliament House management strategies (Chapter 13).

The Action Proposal Process is the key mechanism for considering new actions in and on the place. It includes a method for identifying, analysing and treating risks to the heritage values. Risk management enables staff to manage change effectively, so that progress at the place is achieved in harmony with the heritage values.

6.2. Summary of identified pressures on the listed values

The risks to the identified values at Old Parliament House generally fall into two categories:

risks to the fabric and form of the place
risks to the less tangible values of the place.

The effects of this first category of risks tend to be measurable. They also tend to be the risks that are more readily identifiable in advance and therefore can be prevented. These risks include:

fire, flood, theft, vandalism, natural disaster, terrorist attack etc
inappropriate conservation work resulting in damage to heritage fabric
inappropriate physical intervention (such as demolition or unsympathetic addition) of parts of Old Parliament House
inappropriate use and/or inappropriate maintenance resulting in damage to heritage fabric
the slow erosion of values through incremental change such as physical deterioration owing to aging, culminating in major impacts on the place
declining budgets and resources resulting in reduced and/or inadequate maintenance and monitoring.

The second category of risks relates principally to the less tangible values of Old Parliament House, and the need to ensure its ongoing use by, and the interpretation of its values for, a wide audience. These risks include: