NOT a single property has been scrapped from the Tasmanian Heritage Register, despite plans to cut more than 1600 listings by the end of last month. Heritage Minister Matthew Groom originally intended to shrink the register by a third, reducing the number of properties from 5333 to 3900 by June 30. But as of the close of business on Wednesday, no properties had been removed. Just 133 entries have been slated for removal, but no final decisions have been made. A public consultation period on the properties, all in Launceston, attracted 13 submissions from owners, individuals and concerned organisations. A Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment spokeswoman said most submissions supported the removals. "Four of the submissions lodged objected to the proposed removals," she said. Exactly which properties garnered attention in the public consultation process remains unclear. A senior bureaucrat managing the removals quit his role last month, describing the register delisting targets as "simply unachievable". He warned that while initial entries earmarked for removal were of very low significance, properties with significant heritage values would need to be targeted to meet the government's limit. "This internal obsession with removal numbers is counter to the process being based upon significance, having rigour and being in accordance with good heritage management practice," he said in a resignation letter. The man's position has since been backfilled, the DPIPWE spokeswoman confirmed. "The project remains on track," she said. However, she would not say whether a revised timeline had been established to reduce the register to 3900 properties. The Tasmanian Greens claim the reduction program is in disarray and based on figures plucked from thin air. Greens leader Cassy O'Connor has described the process as sloppy, lengthy and scandalously light on detail. But Mr Groom has consistently defended shrinking the register to guarantee its integrity.
NOT a single property has been scrapped from the Tasmanian Heritage Register, despite plans to cut more than 1600 listings by the end of last month.
Heritage Minister Matthew Groom originally intended to shrink the register by a third, reducing the number of properties from 5333 to 3900 by June 30.
But as of the close of business on Wednesday, no properties had been removed.
Just 133 entries have been slated for removal, but no final decisions have been made.
A public consultation period on the properties, all in Launceston, attracted 13 submissions from owners, individuals and concerned organisations.
A Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment spokeswoman said most submissions supported the removals.
"Four of the submissions lodged objected to the proposed removals," she said.
Exactly which properties garnered attention in the public consultation process remains unclear.
A senior bureaucrat managing the removals quit his role last month, describing the register delisting targets as "simply unachievable".
He warned that while initial entries earmarked for removal were of very low significance, properties with significant heritage values would need to be targeted to meet the government's limit.
"This internal obsession with removal numbers is counter to the process being based upon significance, having rigour and being in accordance with good heritage management practice," he said in a resignation letter.
The man's position has since been backfilled, the DPIPWE spokeswoman confirmed.
"The project remains on track," she said.
However, she would not say whether a revised timeline had been established to reduce the register to 3900 properties.
The Tasmanian Greens claim the reduction program is in disarray and based on figures plucked from thin air.
Greens leader Cassy O'Connor has described the process as sloppy, lengthy and scandalously light on detail.
But Mr Groom has consistently defended shrinking the register to guarantee its integrity.
