Historic Places Aotearoa (HPA) seeks to position itself as New Zealand’s lead non-statutory and independent heritage voice. Government will only take notice of HPA if it can show it represents a broad base of organisations that in turn represent people concerned about heritage.

Advocacy for historic heritage must work at local, regional and national levels to be effective.

Local groups will initiate most advocacy for specific historic places in their respective areas. Local Authorities, tasked with recognising and protecting a community’s heritage under the Resource Management Act, listen to the voice advocating for and representing heritage in their local community

The country’s over-arching legislative and policy frameworks for heritage are determined at the national level. Heritage, therefore, needs to have a credible and effective national voice to be able to deal with government policy and legislation, and national agencies such as Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT)and other community-based heritage organisations.

Historic Places Aotearoa (HPA) was founded in December 2010 as a non-Government organisation to represent historic heritage interests in New Zealand. The organisation was formed when New Zealand Historic Places Trust’s Regional Branch Committees were about to be abolished under the terms of the Heritage New Zealand Act 2014. A number of former branch committees reformed under the banner of Historic Places Aotearoa with the aim of maintaining independent heritage advocacy at a local and national level.

There was also concern that under the terms of the new legislation, HNZPT, as a crown entity, was no longer an independent heritage voice as it had been in the past. For example, HNZPT remained publicly almost silent during the campaign to save the Category I listed Te Urewera Visitor Centre at Waikaremoana from demolition in 2016.

Historic Places Aotearoa (HPA) seeks to position itself as New Zealand’s lead non-statutory and independent heritage voice.

HPA’s principal objectives are to:

• promote the preservation of historic places in Aotearoa New Zealand for the benefit of present and future communities and generations.
• facilitate the establishment of affiliated regional societies for the benefit of local communities and the general public in promoting heritage at a regional and local level.
• promote public awareness and appreciation of heritage values.
• promote the adoption of legislation, policies, rules, regulations and plans that promote heritage protection and awareness and support their enforcement or implementation through political or judicial processes as necessary.

In order to meet these objectives HPA works with:

• HPA Member Organisations.
• relevant government ministers and ministries
• political party spokespeople for heritage
• Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT)
• Māori Heritage Council
• National NGOs such as New Zealand Institute of Architects, Engineering New Zealand, Society for Earthquake Engineering, Property Council, DOCOMOMO (international working party for the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement), ICOMOS (International council on monuments and sites), New Zealand Archaeological Association.

HPA may submit and comment on:

• legislation reviews, e.g. RMA, HNZPT Act, Building Act
• government heritage-related policy reviews, e.g. Earthquake-prone buildings
• government’s heritage roles, e.g. annual budget rounds, Crown heritage properties
• regional heritage issues that may impact on heritage at a national level or is of national significance. HPA will work with the relevant Member Organisation.
• provide guidance for Member Organisation submissions when requested.

HPA is a federation of autonomous local Member Organisations, some of which previously operated as Branch Committees of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. HPA acts as an umbrella organisation for the network of Member Organisation and other affiliated members and individual members and is administered by an Executive Committee.

• Member Organisations have voting rights at the HPA AGM. These includes nominating people to the Executive Committee and setting the yearly levies.
• Affiliated organisations and members have the right to participate in HPA’s annual meetings. Delegates from each Member Organisation elect the Executive biennially.
• The Executive Committee runs the affairs of HPA according to its Rules.
• The Executive Committee, recognising the considerable skills and experience in the membership, works consultatively and seeks to closely involve members through networking, working parties and seeking their advice.

By joining HPA, you will:

• help protect the heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand
• have a voice and be notified on issues that will affect the country’s heritage via submissions on government policy and legislation.
• be part of a wider network of like-minded organisations.

HPA Member Organisations also receive:

• a local page on the HPA website - http://historicplacesaotearoa.nz/
• access to the HPA Microsoft 365 subscription, which provides such features as email exchange and cloud storage.
• the quarterly HPA newsletter – “Heritage Voices”.
• free public liability insurance

HPA Associate Members also receive:

• Listing on the HPA website including contact information and a link to the member’s website if they have one
• the quarterly HPA newsletter – “Heritage Voices”.

Classes of membership for HPA are: -

• Member Organisations - for organisations such as regional heritage bodies and larger metropolitan bodies (e.g. civic trusts) with objectives similar to HPA’s. These will have full membership with voting rights. They will pay a membership-based levy to HPA. The levy is set by the Member Organisations at the AGM.
  
  
• Associate Members - for organisations with incorporation and/or charitable status with an interest in heritage which may not be the main aim of the organisation, at a regional or national level. They will not have voting rights. Affiliation fees for Associate Members will be set by the Executive Committee.
  
  
• Individual Members – for individuals who do not wish to join a regional heritage body affiliated to HPA or have no affiliated regional heritage body in their area, but wish to support heritage on a national level, via HPA. They will not have voting rights
  
  
• Corporate Members – for organisations that wish to support HPA but may not have similar objectives. They will not have voting rights. Affiliation fees for Corporate Members will be set by the Executive Committee.
  
  
• Life Members – for individuals or corporates. They may pay a life membership fee. They will not have voting rights. The subscription for life membership will be set by the Executive Committee.