Gary Humphries (ACT, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Materiel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government in the Senate, upon notice, on 28 September 2012:

With reference to the Women's Suffrage memorial within the Old Parliament House Gardens:

(a) What extension has there been to the Women's Suffrage memorial timeline commencement and conclusion dates.

(b) Who conducted the internal heritage assessment of the works?

(c) Was an external heritage assessment conducted; if not, why not.

(d) Has an external heritage assessment been conducted for previous works:

(i) within the Old Parliament House Gardens; and

(ii) in relation to the Women's Suffrage memorial timeline.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

(a) The fountain features a timeline recording women’s suffrage milestones back to 1902. In 2012, the fountain was extended to commemorate the Hon Julia Gillard MP as the first female Australian Deputy Prime Minister (2007) and Prime Minister of Australia (2010) and Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO as the first woman to become the Australian Governor-General (2008).

(b) The National Capital Authority’s Director, Development Assessment and Heritage.

(c) No, an internal self assessment process was undertaken in accordance with the requirements for Commonwealth Heritage places under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

(d) Yes.

(i) The reconstruction of the Old Parliament House Gardens as a whole was referred to the former Australian Heritage Commission for heritage assessment.

(ii) In 2004, Professor Ken Taylor AM Heritage and Landscape Planning Consultant conducted a heritage assessment on the mosaic fountain and timeline artwork.