Did you have your say?

The History Council of Western Australia, as a follow on to our cultural heritage forum, believes we need to make the case strongly for the crucial role of cultural institutions (museums, galleries and cultural centres) and history in creating, communicating, conserving, documenting and caring for Australia’s cultural heritage.

We asked our members to take advantage of the resources provided by Museums Australia so that we can work together to present substantial evidence to the Minister describing the integral value of museums to all aspects of cultural creation and care.

Museums Australia sought evidence from their membership of the ways in which museums are contributing to the creation, communication, conservation and care of Australia’s cultural heritage. To this, as a peak body for history, we can contribute how a sense and understanding of history through documentation, archives, research and publishing adds to this process and a sense of place.

History Council members were invited to contribute to this important dialogue in two ways, through:

1. Participating directly in the Minister’s dialogue on his National Cultural Policy blog site, see www.nationalculturalpolicy.com.au
   and/or
2. Contributing evidence of the value of history through an email to  office@historycouncilwa.org.au

 Members were specifically asked to:

• outline just one of the ways in which your historical society or special interest is currently contributing to the creation, communication, documentation and conservation of the nation’s culture, and/or
• suggest one key measure you think should be taken in support of the work you are doing

The History Council in WA collated member contributions – all the evidence you provided about the value of the work you are doing – and used it to develop a strong Cultural Policy submission with a history perspective. We also shared our findings with Museums Australia to assist their submission as appropriate.

History Coucil Submission