A National Conservation Policy for a New Millennium—Building Opportunity, Extending Capacity and Securing Integration in Cultural Materials Conservation

Abstract

In Launceston, in October 1995, the Federal Government launched Australia's National Conservation Policy for the Conservation of Movable Cultural Heritage. This policy, developed for the Cultural Ministers Council (Australia), was one of the very few national materials conservation policies in the world. The associated strategy led to the development of important frameworks and tools for significance assessment, conservation planning, training, disaster preparedness and environmental guidelines, and in identification of skills gaps and research needs. The political, economic and technological environment in which conservators operate has changed considerably since 1995, and, with the majorit..