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The ACT government almost illegally sold off a series of territory records, which included architectural plans showing developments planned for prominent Canberra sites in the city’s first decades. The ACT government has withdrawn more than 30 framed drawings and other art work from sale after realising some could be territory records. The auction lots, including drawings signed by the city’s first practising architect, Kenneth Henry Oliphant, were advertised on AllBids.com.au last week. The Territory Records Office on Friday raised concerns, prompting the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate to withdraw the items from sale. The Territory Records Act requires agencies to “ensure the safekeeping and proper preservation of its records”. It is illegal for agencies to abandon, dispose, damage or neglect records, or transfer the ownership of records. Planning directorate chief operating officer Craig Simmons told AllBids that until the directorate could determine which items were classed as territory records, they would remain the property of the ACT government. “These records would be protected and not be subject to the asset disposal process,” Mr Simmons wrote in a letter shared with people who had placed bids on the items. AllBids chief executive Rob Evans said it was extremely rare to withdraw or suspend an auction, because doing so breached the auction house’s faith with its buyers. “However in this instance we were required to do so by the ACT government,” Mr Evans said. Among the 32 items offered for sale was a 1927 framed ink and watercolour drawing of the England Girls Grammar School at Blandfordia, now Canberra Girls Grammar. A framed lithographic map of sites for public auction at Ainslie in 1924 was also listed, as well as the “original drawings for the ANU Halls of Residence” produced by Leith & Bartlett Pty Ltd. Stamped and approved plans signed by Kenneth Henry Oliphant and L.H. Rudd, another early architect, were put up for sale. A drawing from the mid-1930s signed by Mr Oliphant shows a plan for a house and commercial car garage in Braddon. The drawings show approval stamps signed by C.S. Daley, whose public service career was focused on planning for the new capital city. Mr Daley was involved in running the international competition for the city’s design and moved to the city in 1924, where he became the secretary of the Federal Capital Commission. A watercolour rendering of the elevation of milk processing building in Griffith was also included in the sale. A spokesman for the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate said the directorate had decided to make the items available for auction in consultation with Arts ACT. The directorate contacted AllBids in November and delivered 28 lots later that month. Four more items were delivered in December. The spokesman said the directorate was advised by the Territory Records Office on January 29 that some of the items could be considered to be territory records, prompting their withdrawal from sale. “No records of the directorate have been sold,” the spokesman said. The items remain at the AllBids warehouse in Fyshwick, from where officers of the directorate will collect them. The items were previously housed in Dame Pattie Menzies House in Dickson. The ACT government is currently in the process of vacating the building. The ACT government sold the building in 2017 and retained a lease until October last year, with two additional one-year options. National Trust ACT president Gary Kent said the trust was extremely concerned the items had been offered at auction. “We are pleased that the ACT government put a stop to the sale,” Mr Kent said. “But it is very important that no stone is left unturned to find out how these items ended up in the public domain, and to ensure it does not happen again. “Canberra’s heritage is too important to allow it to be flogged off for private gain. These are public assets that need to be better protected.”
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The ACT government almost illegally sold off a series of territory records, which included architectural plans showing developments planned for prominent Canberra sites in the city’s first decades.
The ACT government has withdrawn more than 30 framed drawings and other art work from sale after realising some could be territory records.
The auction lots, including drawings signed by the city’s first practising architect, Kenneth Henry Oliphant, were advertised on AllBids.com.au last week.
The Territory Records Office on Friday raised concerns, prompting the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate to withdraw the items from sale.
The Territory Records Act requires agencies to “ensure the safekeeping and proper preservation of its records”.
It is illegal for agencies to abandon, dispose, damage or neglect records, or transfer the ownership of records.
Planning directorate chief operating officer Craig Simmons told AllBids that until the directorate could determine which items were classed as territory records, they would remain the property of the ACT government.
“These records would be protected and not be subject to the asset disposal process,” Mr Simmons wrote in a letter shared with people who had placed bids on the items.
AllBids chief executive Rob Evans said it was extremely rare to withdraw or suspend an auction, because doing so breached the auction house’s faith with its buyers.
“However in this instance we were required to do so by the ACT government,” Mr Evans said.
Among the 32 items offered for sale was a 1927 framed ink and watercolour drawing of the England Girls Grammar School at Blandfordia, now Canberra Girls Grammar.
A framed lithographic map of sites for public auction at Ainslie in 1924 was also listed, as well as the “original drawings for the ANU Halls of Residence” produced by Leith & Bartlett Pty Ltd.
Stamped and approved plans signed by Kenneth Henry Oliphant and L.H. Rudd, another early architect, were put up for sale.
A drawing from the mid-1930s signed by Mr Oliphant shows a plan for a house and commercial car garage in Braddon.
The drawings show approval stamps signed by C.S. Daley, whose public service career was focused on planning for the new capital city.
Mr Daley was involved in running the international competition for the city’s design and moved to the city in 1924, where he became the secretary of the Federal Capital Commission.
A watercolour rendering of the elevation of milk processing building in Griffith was also included in the sale.
England Girls Grammar School at Blandfordia 1927, Ink and Watercolour, 62.5 x 56 cm. Picture: AllBids
A spokesman for the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development directorate said the directorate had decided to make the items available for auction in consultation with Arts ACT.
The directorate contacted AllBids in November and delivered 28 lots later that month. Four more items were delivered in December.
The spokesman said the directorate was advised by the Territory Records Office on January 29 that some of the items could be considered to be territory records, prompting their withdrawal from sale.
“No records of the directorate have been sold,” the spokesman said.
The items remain at the AllBids warehouse in Fyshwick, from where officers of the directorate will collect them.
The items were previously housed in Dame Pattie Menzies House in Dickson. The ACT government is currently in the process of vacating the building.
National Trust ACT president Gary Kent said the trust was extremely concerned the items had been offered at auction.
“We are pleased that the ACT government put a stop to the sale,” Mr Kent said.
“But it is very important that no stone is left unturned to find out how these items ended up in the public domain, and to ensure it does not happen again.
“Canberra’s heritage is too important to allow it to be flogged off for private gain. These are public assets that need to be better protected.”
