by Dame Anna Crighton DNZM, QSO, JP, PhD (Dist.) Otago.

National Government Minister Chris Finlayson announced in February, 2010, that a review of the Historic Places Act would take place and would include the disestablishment of all the branch committees and elected representatives of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) throughout New Zealand. The branches had evolved when the New Zealand Historic Places Trust had been formed some fifty years previously. There were 10 branches in the South Island and 11 in the North Island, with three elected Board representatives for the southern, central and northern regions. A ripple of disquiet, and in many places, anger went through the branches’ heritage volunteer sector. There were resignations from the NZHPT membership in protest. This proposed legislative change would alienate the invaluable grassroots input of volunteers who had worked cooperatively with NZHPT staff over that time. The issue was serious and closely affected hundreds of heritage advocates throughout the country. Fifty plus years of time, energy and enthusiasm would be wiped out with one stroke.

I felt so strongly about consultation with the branches that through the Board that I pushed, and received support for, a meeting of two representatives from each branch from throughout New Zealand, with reasonable expenses paid, to be held in Wellington. The meeting of branch delegates was held in July 2010 to decide on a way forward for the disestablished branches. The delegates did not want to lose the momentum of having a strong local voice for heritage in the regions.

Where do you start with no membership and no funding to replace a well-oiled organisation of fifty years?

That’s a big mountain to climb. Despite the massive challenge ahead, the group resolved to form a Steering Committee to drive a replacement national structure. Agreement was reached to include myself as Chair, David Kiddey from Wellington, David White from Central Otago, Jimmy Wallace from South Canterbury, Peter Dowell from Wellington and James Blackburne from Tairawhiti. They, individually and collectively, through the high standard of their respective talents and skills, were in a position to lay the foundation for a solid and credible new non-government organisation. After more than two years of hard work with regrettably negligible financial and human resource support from NZHPT and total reliance on limited funding and goodwill, the Steering Group took HPA from an idea to a reality.

Thus the establishment of Historic Places Aotearoa Incorporated (HPA) with Dame Anne Salmond as Patron and the Steering Committee as the inaugural Executive was launched in grand style at Government House on 14 August 2012.

In my address as inaugural President, I said:

HPA will retain the ‘eyes and ears’ of those hundreds of volunteers in the regions which could have been lost through the disestablishment of the current system. This is especially important in light of the threats to heritage we have all seen, especially in Christchurch. Christchurch and Canterbury’s heritage has been particularly hard hit with the earthquakes and this could easily happen in other parts of New Zealand. A strong voice to advocate for vulnerable heritage from not just earthquakes but also from man-made destruction through inappropriate development, is immediate and necessary. With the support of our members, our new organisation will be promoting and encouraging the establishment of best practice for heritage protection and conservation throughout New Zealand.

It was a turning point for New Zealand’s heritage and marked a new beginning for local advocacy. The opportunity for communities to be more active in having a voice in preserving their heritage for future generations was a return to the original spirit of heritage protection in New Zealand. I was President from 2010 and held that position until 2013 but remained on the Executive until 2015.

Although the workload took its toll on me while I was coping with the aftermath of the earthquakes and my own mental health I am proud to have been a cofounder and first president of HPA which is now, a decade later, thriving and currently under the leadership of James Blackburne.

June 2022