Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00620:body:0:p52
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00620
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 141131–144101

social values was undertaken in the course of this HMP.  Such a process has the potential to indicate that a community or group has some degree of social attachment to the building.  However, that is not considered to be sufficiently probable to warrant the undertaking.  Places or work (like an office) and utility (like a supermarket) are not typically considered to be places of social value.  In general terms, they do not relate to or express a ritual or ceremonial function that stimulates a strong sense of attachment.
Further, in the context of the Parliament House Secretariat group (which includes the Provisional Parliament House, East Block and West Block), it is considered the communal attachment associated with the ceremonial functions of the governance of the nation is more likely to reside in the Provisional Parliament House than either East or West Block, which provided a supporting role for the operations of Parliament.

3.4                    Assessment against Commonwealth Heritage criteria
Having regard to the above analysis, the following assessment against the Commonwealth Heritage criteria.
(a)     the place has significant heritage value because of the place's importance in the course, or pattern, of Australia's natural or cultural history
West Block (designed in 1925, built in 1926-27 and in use from August 1927) is of historical significance to Australia for its association with Federation.  The building is a component of the Parliament House Secretariat group, the first premises purpose-built for Australia's democratic government.  The principal component of the group is the Provisional Parliament House itself, as reflected in its siting on the Land Axis and its visual prominence within the national capital.  West and East blocks (originally Secretariats no. 2 and 1 respectively) were supporting elements.  The primary role of these multi-purpose buildings was office accommodation.  The buildings within the Parliament House Secretariat group were the first to be constructed within the Parliamentary Triangle.  All were conceived as temporary, pending the construction of a permanent Parliament House, completed in 1988.
The Dugout (built 1942, adapted in 1943 and 1945) is of historical significance as the building from which Prime Minister Curtin communicated with Australia's allies during World War II, using a Typex cypher machine.  The building is also significant as a remnant of the World War II defences introduced within the Parliamentary Zone during World War II.

(b)     the place has significant heritage value because of the place's possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Australia's natural or cultural history
The construction of a group of buildings for the administration of a territory, region or State in Australia is uncommon.  The contextual rationale for this approach is of historical significance to Australia (see Criterion A above).
The origins and evolution of Canberra as