Historic Places Trust Looks To Future

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is strongly positioned to fulfil its leadership role in cultural heritage management, protection and promotion, said today the organisation’s new Chief Executive, Dr Bill Tramposch.

The recent restructuring of the Trust has given it a clear strategic direction and strengthened the role of its regional teams and branch committees.
It has also focussed greater attention on the Trust’s bicultural dimension by identifying Maori heritage issues and developing the appropriate policies within a specific operating framework.
These changes are already generating positive results in responding to local needs and further developing business.

The Historic Places Trust is now looking to capitalise on the benefits of the restructuring process to assume its new role in the provision of heritage services.
In particular, Dr Tramposch underlined the changing focus of the Trust towards advocacy, promotion, education and training on heritage issues as its regulatory role adapts to the shift of responsibilities to local authorities.
Dr Tramposch explained that this change was of fundamental importance in the Trust’s working towards its vision of a society where heritage places are valued, respected and preserved.
He added that in order to achieve this vision, public awareness of the value of heritage and knowledge about heritage and its management on a local level would need to evolve further, and the Trust would be playing a key role in that process.

The question of public awareness and respect for was particularly pertinent in the area of Maori heritage noted Dr Tramposch.
The Trust has identified this as a strategic priority and would be continuing its empowering approach with hapu and iwi to assist them to advocate for Maori heritage.
Furthermore the Trust will be developing its capability to deal with Maori heritage and archaeological issues throughout the organisation and to assure quality delivery of heritage services in support of Maori heritage.
Dr Tramposch expressed his confidence in the potential of the new Maori Heritage Team structure for moving those issues forward.

Dr Tramposch drew attention to the large membership base of the Trust, which demonstrates the commitment of New Zealanders to their cultural heritage.
He stressed that increasing the membership of the Trust would be one of his personal priorities as Chief Executive and he was looking forward to meeting and discussing with the Trust’s regional managers and their 23 branch committees as to ways to work towards this objective.

These are both exciting and challenging times for heritage in New Zealand said Dr Tramposch.
With the momentum given to the Trust by its restructuring and its clear identification as a major player in heritage issues, the organisation can now look to the future with confidence in its ability to promote and care for our historic and cultural places.

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