Opening of the New Zealand Heritage Conference, Wanganui War Memorial

Speech notes for Mahara Okeroa's address for the Opening of the New Zealand Heritage Conference of 2008, Wanganui War Memorial Hall 

Thank you for inviting me to come here to the New Zealand Heritage Conference of 2008.

As Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, I am always delighted to come to Wanganui.

Te Ati Haunui a paparangi tena koutou. This beautiful city is situated in and around a number of redoubts and pa. There is a strong Maori and bicultural heritage in Wanganui and the history is well known. As you know, Wanganui was one of the founding communities of the New Zealand Company in 1840, and became a thriving port.

As a result, Wanganui has a big stock of heritage buildings in use in the CBD. Buildings like the Serjeant Gallery are working heritage buildings that have retained their integrity and charm. But it isn’t just art galleries and museums – walk around any of the streets in the centre of the city and you will see heritage buildings successfully adapted for new uses.

This makes Wanganui a fantastic choice as venue for a conference that focuses on important issues related to heritage buildings, and it is good to see that a conference can be held in this stunning registered building.

Wanganui also has notable examples of heritage buildings from different architectural eras – this is one of New Zealand’s premier modernist buildings for example - and it’s good to see the Conference programme will take you on site visits to see more of Wanganui’s heritage.

As you know, the government has been concerned to ensure that New Zealanders can be confident about the standards of building and construction in this country.

The Building Act 2004 set out to improve controls of building design and construction, and in order to do that, the standards we expect of buildings has been clarified.

The Department of Building and Housing has produced a number of publications which will help councils, home-owners, builders and architects to observe the new standards.

The government also signalled the importance of historic heritage by making it a matter of national importance in an amendment to the Resource Management Act in 2003. Under this amendment historic heritage is to be protected from inappropriate subdivision, use and development.

Government is involved in the preservation of our most significant heritage buildings in private ownership through the National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund, which is administered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

The government has also worked to strengthen the Historic Places Trust in recent years, by increasing its funding and giving the Trust Crown Entity status.

I note that there are a number of sessions in the Conference dealing with the impact of earthquakes. New Zealand has not been called ‘The Shakey Isles’ for nothing, and the recent earthquake in Gisborne reminds us that every effort has to be made to ensure the safety of our buildings in the event of an earthquake.

Māori communities have been concerned too. Coastal settlements such as Te Hapua in the far north are considering moving their marae up the hill to a site adjacent to their urupa cemetery, for fear of a tsunami.

I understand that the strengthening of heritage buildings presents extra challenges, especially when it is so important to retain the integrity of the heritage values.

I am pleased to see that the Department of Building and Housing has recognised that owners of heritage buildings may take longer to implement measures required for earthquake strengthening, and that there may be extra cost involved.

I see on the conference programme that there is a range of speakers representing engineering, heritage architecture, councils, insurance, the Fire Service, and the Historic Places Trust.

The conference will give these experts from different domains an opportunity to hear each others’ perspectives and to share their knowledge and experiences.

I am sure there will be very practical outcomes –everyone here who is working with heritage buildings will have a broader understanding of the issues. I hope you will be able to leave the conference with some solutions to issues you may be grappling with.

I am pleased that the conference is not just considering earthquake issues, but is also addressing how these buildings can be used today and in the future.

New Zealanders are increasingly realising that heritage also has economic benefits. Heritage buildings don’t date, so they don’t need refurbishing as often as contemporary buildings, which are more subject to the whims of fashion.

Heritage buildings can have huge tourism spinoffs – Oamaru, Napier and Wanganui attract visitors because of their charming heritage precincts. The Wanganui River has for many years been part of the tourism experience in the city. Iwi will be considering the tourism opportunities, while remaining mindful of the pressures that could be placed on the river and its environment.

We all know that heritage is a precious resource that, once gone, is gone for ever. We have to make sure that everyone works together to ensure the buildings and heritage sites that matter to us will endure for future generations.

My hope is that delegates to this conference will leave here with a view that a heritage designation is a bonus that opens up possibilities, rather than a burden with associated problems.

I would like to commend the conference organisers for drawing together such a useful programme. This will be a very fruitful couple of days for all concerned.

The importance of acknowledging the threats to our built heritage was not lost on Te Peehi Turoa, an ariki of his time from the Wainui a Rua, Wanganui River, who in one of his laments said:

“Kai auru ai te atua i ahau……..
Nga toki kai auru, nga rakau a Maru”

Translated means:
This affliction of some god feeds on and off upon me,
With axes cutting piecemeal, the trees of Maru

Maru, a god of the Māori people, was often associated with shelter, as were Tanemahuta or Tanewhakapiripiri, the gods of forests and buildings. The greatest threat to our built heritage are axes and lack of respect for heritage by mankind.

Ruaimoko, the god of earthquakes, and the other gods that threaten built heritage, can have a greater destructive effect if we don’t work towards protecting, strengthening and finding appropriate new uses for our heritage.

I am delighted to officially open the conference.