Planning Minister Guy intervenes on Gough Whitlam, Kew birthplace demolition
Despite the demolition dozers out front, the future of Ngara, the 1916 birthplace of the late Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam at 46 Rowland Street, Kew is now officially in limbo. Probably now a decision for the next Government following the November 29 election.
The Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy has stepped in with an interim protection order to possibly save Ngara - tweeting his action today.
"Yesterday I applied for an Interim Protection Order for PM Whitlam's birthplace. Heritage Council has today made the Order," he advised.
" I asked them to reconsider given new evidence."
When approached in May shortly after Boroondara Council unwittingly gave demolition approval to the home with history, he had declined to take steps to intervene.
The minister's interim application and Heritage Victoria decision allows debate on the merits of the heritage listing.
It only survived its scheduled Tuesday demolition as the builder, Sav has pangs of respect for the dead after hearing of Gough Whitlam's death that morning.
Other homes in Melbourne have been given heritage protection because a prime minister was born in, or lived at, the property including nearby 10 Howard Street in Kew, the former home of Robert Menzies; and 167 Cotham Road in Kew, the former home of Billy Hughes.
The Whitlam house was built in 1915, the block having been bought two months after the wedding of his parents, Fred and Mattie.
Despite some alterations to the façade, it was until recent days still clearly recognisable as a typical Federation brick villa, which triggered recent heritage consideration.
Edward Gough Whitlam, future Prime Minister of Australia, was born on 11 July 1916 to Harry Frederick (“Fred”) Whitlam and Martha (“Mattie”) Whitlam nee Maddocks.
According to the birth announcement, the birth took place at Ngara, Rowland Street, East Kew (Argus, 22 Jul 1916: page 13).
After news broke of the death and the pending demolition, Guy said on Wednesday there was nothing he could do to intervene.
"Someone could come in, such as a minister, and try and put in interim controls but after it's issued then those who've got the order have a very, very strong legal case that would stand," said Guy.
"Unfortunately, once... the demolition order is given or the consent is given, that's usually the end of the matter," he told 3AW, before his subsequent revision."
Now he suggests: "As PM Whitlam's birthplace, it is likely that the cultural significance of this house will become recognised more strongly as time passes."
He proffered the nuanced argument that the decision never resided with him as the power under the Heritage Act was not available to the Planning Minister, hence his need to apply to the Heritage Victoria.
"Hopefully accurate reporting in future," he protested over the coverage of his role over recent days.
Heritage Victoria's executive director Tim Smith had previously maintained Gough Whitlam's association with the house was brief and no events related to his public or political life occurred there.
The Age cheekily reported this week Gough was born on the kitchen table.
Radio 3AW had spotted the pending demolition last week. Neighbours told Ross Greenwood's 2GB Money News on Tuesday evening that it appeared that cladding was being taken off.
It faced injudicious demolition following its $3.3 million sale earlier this year. There are suggestions the overseas Chinese buyer has obligations to construct a new residence, or face potential difficulties with the Foreign Investment Review Board.
The National Trust of Victoria has set out the recent property time line of events preceding the death of the former Prime Minister.
11/04/2014 – Boroondara Council issues demolition permit, unaware of cultural significance
30/04/2014 – Property nominated to the VHR; Boroondara Council becomes aware of significance
07/05/2014 – Boroondara Council withdraws consent for demolition, asks Minister to apply a Heritage Overlay
June 2014 – Heritage Victoria refuses Interim Protection Order (IPO)
17/09/2014 – Minister Guy’s delegate refuses Heritage Overlay
10/10/2014 - Boroondara Council issues consent for demolition order (again)
21/10/2014 – Gough Whitlam passes away; partial demolition begins at 46 Rowland St, Kew
The unofficial National Trust blog suggests it "has been the most bizarre sequence of events around the fate of a putatively significant property that we can recall in many years."
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