Increased Support for Heritage Meets Urgent Needs
New Zealand Historic Places Trust information release
7 May 2003
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust has welcomed the Government's increased
support for historic heritage as recognition of the urgent needs facing
the country's heritage places.
Speaking after Prime Minister Helen Clark's announcement today of an
extra $8 million funding for the Trust over the next four years, as part
of a $15.2 million heritage package, Trust Chief Executive Dr Bill Tramposch
said: "New Zealanders today are more aware and more interested in
their historic heritage. As a country, we face the continuing challenge
of preserving that heritage while allowing the nation to develop. As a
result, the demand for our services has escalated to the point where extra
funding was urgently needed to provide the level, range and quality of
services our country's heritage places deserve."
"The Government's funding commitment takes us a step closer to realising
our vision of a society where heritage is cherished and preserved, and
through this, the economic, social and cultural well-being of our communities
is enhanced" said Dr Tramposch. The Trust was looking forward not
only to meeting its urgent needs, but also to strengthening and improving
over the coming years all its core products and programmes - its registrations,
the work of its Maori heritage team, its regulatory services related to
resource management, the maintenance and management of its heritage properties,
and the technical advice and information it provided to the public.
Dr Tramposch praised the Government's decision to create a Heritage Preservation
Fund as an "inspired policy". "This sends a strong signal
to private owners who are the present-day custodians of our heritage places
that their role is understood and will be supported in practical ways"
said Dr Tramposch.
Dr Tramposch expressed his delight at the specific funding commitment
to the Kerikeri Historic Basin project. "As owner of two of the country's
oldest buildings on the Kerikeri inlet, the Kerikeri Mission House (Kemp
House) and the Stone Store, we are greatly looking forward to working
with the Department of Conservation as it undertakes its consultation
with the community to prepare the development plan for the Basin."
For more information:
Paul Leslie
Marketing and Communications Manager
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
Ph: 04 470 8051
Email: pleslie@historic.org.nz
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