What to hold onto

In a country where property and real estate are central to the national psyche, it is fair to say that, even by Australian standards, we are having a moment. From the Great Australian Dream to the widespread recreational pursuit of watching The Block, real estate has become the nation’s article of faith. Meanwhile, a confluence of factors has seen housing become the hottest political issue in the country. Far from the dream, we have seemingly arrived at the worst of all possible worlds, where housing is too expensive to buy, too expensive to rent, and too expensive to build. Those without a leveraged portfolio of their own are rightly asking how we got into this mess.

This is a question that veterans of the heritage battles fought in Australia’s cities may be contemplating too, as they find themselves re-prosecuting arguments thought settled in the 1970s. Largely through grassroots activism, the Australian heritage movement succeeded over decades in winning recognition and protection for places deemed significant. This would eventually be cemented with the establishment of legislation, statutory bodies, and a professional industry.