Built heritage policy and incentives: Australian and Tanzanian conservation perspectives

When it comes to sustainable heritage management, heritage stakeholders – who generally aren't policy makers – are often required to make a financial contribution before being issued with funds to cover costs for conserving the authenticity and integrity of built heritage. In doing so, many corporate owners of heritage and developers have become surrogate to a laissez-faire market which facilitates demolition by way of neglect, or intent, of heritage assets throughout the world. While there is little doubt that the historic tax credits or other forms of financial offset – such as the USA Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit and UK Lottery funding – have been making a desirable contribution to slowing down the destruction and loss of historic fabric in those jurisdictions. Such is not the norm, more frequently many governments have continue to operate a heritage policy framework unsupported of financial offsets or tax incentives for conserving heritage assets under private ownership. This paper reviews the current issues facing the built heritage sector in addressing this discourse using Australia and Tanzania as a comparative case study. It then discusses the prospects of enhancing institutional arrangements, both government and private, which can benefit the broader communities.

Key words: Built heritage conservation, financial offsets, conservation easement, tax credits, Australia, Tanzania.