NSW election 24 March 2007

The Australian Heraldry Society has long favoured the establishment of an Australian Heraldic Authority or similar arms-granting and registering body. The upcoming New South Wales State election provides an opportunity to raise this as a political issue and to urge the State Government to implement some key recommendations made by a State Parliamentary committee. Such a State campaign would also assist in providing experience so that we could run a similar campaign for the Federal election to be held later this year.

Background

A Notice of Motion for a State Arms Bill, an initiative of Richard d'Apice, was put on the papers of the Legislative Council by Peter Breen MLC on 22 November 2000 and Lapsed on Prorogation on 20 February 2002.

A further Notice of Motion for a State Arms Bill 2002 was put on the paper on 12 March 2002. The Bill was referred to the Legislative Council's Standing Committee on Law and Justice for examination and report. The Committee called for submissions, held public hearings and reported in December 2002 in favour of the Bill with some proposed amendments.

This Bill also lapsed on Prorogation of the Parliament for the 2003 State Election, which provided an opportunity to redraft the Bill to take into account the Report of the Standing Committee and other issues which had since arisen and a further Notice of Motion for the State Arms, Symbols and Emblems Bill 2003 was put on the paper on 30 April 2003.

The 2003 Bill passed all stages as a private members bill with Government support and received assent and came into effect on 2 March 2004 as the State Arms, Symbols and Emblems Act No 1 of 2004.

In addition to recommendations about the Bill itself, the Standing Committee's Report contained two important recommendations on the future of heraldic authority in Australia. The Committee of Heraldry Australia feel that it is time that all political parties and Parliamentarians in NSW gave serious consideration to carrying out those recommendations. The recommendations are:

Recommendation 13 The Committee recommends that the Premier consult with the Commonwealth Government with a view to promoting favourable consideration of the establishment of a Commonwealth heraldic authority to grant and register arms and to regulate heraldic usage in states and territories in Australia.

Recommendation 14 The Committee recommends that the Premier favourably consider the establishment of a New South Wales heraldic authority to grant and register arms and to regulate heraldic usage in New South Wales, until such a time as any Commonwealth heraldic authority is established.

The campaign

Heraldry Australia Inc. has written to the State Headquarters of seven political parties (Australian Labor Party, Liberal Party of Australia, The Nationals, Australian Democrats, Christian Democratic Party, Greens NSW, and the Unity Party), as well as to the Parliamentary leaders of each party, in order to seek their views on Recommendations 13 and 14.

This was done by way of a survey that asked the following questions:

1. Are you and/or your party aware that:

a) At present an Australian citizen living in NSW can only obtain a grant of a coat of arms from a foreign/overseas country?

b) Is your party aware that an Australian citizen living in NSW has no legal protection for their coat of arms?

c) Is your party aware that many Europeans, as well as Canadians and South Africans, have been able to obtain grants of arms and protection of their arms from their own heraldic authorities for many years?

2. Would you and your party:

d) Support the view that Australian citizens living in NSW should have the opportunity to seek grants of arms and protection of their arms in their own State and Country?

e) Work towards implementing Recommendations 13 and 14 during the life of the next Parliament?

3. Any additional comments you would care to make?

 

The survey was despatched by post on Tuesday 20 February 2007.

Letter to candidates [ PDF 126 kB]
Questionnaire [ PDF 140 kB]

 

Response to the campaign

As responses from the NSW political parties are received, these will be made available.

 
1a
1b
1c
2d
2e
Comments

Australian Democrats

            

Australian Labour Party

            

Christian Democratic Party

            

Liberal Party of Australia

            

The Greens

            

The Nationals

            

Unity Party

            

 

Australian Labor Party

Graham West MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Community and Veterans Affairs, on behalf of the Premier of NSW (received via e-mail 11/3/07)

The Premier has received your questionnaire relating to heraldry, and has asked me to provide this general response on his behalf.

The NSW Government has no plans to enter upon this field of policy, but is of the view that if there were to be any change to current arrangements, such a change would be best served by the creation of a single national heraldic authority.

Efforts in this area might best addressed to the Prime Minister, whose department has custody, in tandem with Government House, of matters relating to Australia's national awards and symbols.

 

Virginia Judge, Member for Strathfield (received via e-mail 9/3/07)

Thank you for your email of 6 March 2007 regarding heraldry in NSW. The recommendations of the report note that the establishment of a single Commonwealth heraldic authority is within the purview of the Commonwealth Government. I suggest that efforts to establish such an authority might best be directed to the Prime Minister. I note that the Prime Minister's Department, in tandem with Government House, have custody of matters related to Australia's national awards and symbols.

I am advised that the NSW Government does not propose to make any changes to the current State arrangements regarding this issue. I hope this information has been helpful and I wish you all the best in your campaign.

 

Michelle Miran, Candidate for South Coast (received via post 13/3/07)

Dear Mr Szabo

I refer to your letter and questionnaire relating to heraldry and the issue of the establishment of a New South Wales heraldic authority.

My advice has been that if there was to be a change in the existing arrangements, then it would be best served by the creation of a single national heraldic authority.

Has your organisation contacted the Office of the Prime Minister and if so, can I ask what that response has been as that would seem to be the best approach to take.

Yours sincerely
Michelle Miran

 

Phil Costa, Candidate for Wollondilly (received via post 12/3/07)

Please find enclosed a copy of a letter received in my office. It is in answer to your questionnaire about Heraldic Awards. I hope this answers your concerns. [Copy of Graham West's letter outlined above attached]

Australian Democrats

Garry Dalrymple, Candidate for Lakemba (received via e-mail 9/3/07)

While personally I am broadly in sympathy with what you want, the 'repatriation' to NSW of the authority to grant and issue authentic Heraldry, I would be uncomfortable with the idea of State regulated and enforced Heraldry. How would this be done?

Greens

Hillary Morris, Candidate for Gosford (received via e-mail 15/3/07)

Dear Mr Szabo I have referred your questionnaire on to The Greens Party headquarters at Erskinville as I feel unable to respond to this questionnaire myself.

I wish you well in your endeavours of being Heraldry into the wider community.

Kind regards
Hillary Morris
Greens Candidate for Gosford

[Note: The word "being" in the above sentence is probably a typographical error for "bringing"]

Christian Democratic Party

Wally Vanderpoll, Candidate for Manly (received via fax 16/3/07)

Mr Vanderpoll is the only candidate to date to actually complete the questionnaire. He answered "yes" to all questions. Mr Vanderpoll is also the NSW State Treasurer for the Christian Democratic Party.

Two Christian Democratic candidates have acknowledged receipt of the letter and questionnaire via e-mail, but have not responded further, these candidates being Leighton Thew, candidate for Hornsby and Bernie Gesling, candidate for Blacktown.

 

Page last updated: 2007-03-22