As the peak body for history in Victoria, the History Council makes submissions on current issues. In doing this, the HCV Board is guided by its Advocacy Policy and by the Value of History, a statement developed co-operatively by the HCV and the History Councils of New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia.
Here are links to some recent submissions:
2023
Letter to Minister Tony Burke re funding collecting institutions and the reply.
2022
Letter to Minister Blandthorn re Alfred Deakin Residence.
Response from CEO, VCAA CEO to a letter from our Chair re Victorian history curriculum.
A Letter to the Editor of The Age regarding the National Library.
A submission to the National Cultural Policy from the History Council of Victoria.
A letter from the combined History Councils of Australia regarding the archives at the ABC, and the response from Managing Director David Anderson.
A letter from our Chair, Peter McPhee, in The Age, and the original article from Deb Hull, Executive Officer, HTAV.
2021
Our letter to Education Minister James Merlino about the Australian History curriculum
Our letter to Education Minister James Merlino about the sesquicentenary of state education in Victoria
Our submission to the ACARA - Australian Curriculum Review
Open letter to PM Scott Morrison on the funding of the National Archives, signed by HCV Chair Peter McPhee.
Statement from Professor Peter McPhee and letter to The Age about the funding crisis facing the National Archives.
2020
Statement following the Supreme Court injunction to halt to roadworks on the Western Highway, urging the State government to pause and rethink its approach to matters of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (30 October 2020).
Comment on suggestions made to the Australian Electoral Commission regarding the naming (and potential renaming) of Victoria's electoral divisions of the House of Representatives. We encouraged the AEC to use this opportunity to recognise one or more Victorian women and one or more Victorian Indigenous persons (30 October 2020). [Click HERE to see the context for our Comment.]
To the Senate Inquiry into the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020. A submission was lodged jointly by all four History Councils in Australia (10 September 2020) and is accessible as #153 via the Inquiry website.
To the public consultation on the Exposure draft for the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020. See our submission (14 August 2020).
To the National Archives of Australia on its principles for selection of items for the collection. See our submission (3 August 2020).
To the Australian Parliament (Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia) inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. See the submission sent on behalf of all History Councils in Australia by Emeritus Professor Peter McPhee AM (30 July 2020).
To the 21 July 2020 meeting of the Future Melbourne Committee of the City of Melbourne, supporting Agenda item 7.3, ‘Notice of Motion, Cr Watts: Arts and Humanities Higher Education funding’. See our submission (20 July 2020). The motion was carried unanimously.
Australia Needs More Humanities & Social Science Graduates - a call to action in response to the Australian's government's proposal to more than double the cost of a university education for students in History (25 June 2020).
A Humanities education: what’s the point? - an article by our Chair, Professor Peter McPhee (23 June 2020)
To the Editor, The Age, advocating better protection of Indigenous heritage sites. See our Chair's letter (17 June 2020).
2019
To Creative Victoria, offering suggestions for the development of Victoria’s next creative industries strategy, Creative State 2020+. See our submission (30 August 2019).
To the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, offering comments on VCE History Draft Study Design for 2021-25. See our submission (30 August 2019).
2018
To the Prime Minister, supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart. See the letter sent on behalf of all History Councils in Australia by Emeritus Professor Jenny Gregory AM FRHS (20 October 2018).
2017
To the Victorian Minister for Planning regarding the unauthorised demolition of the Corkman Irish Pub in Carlton and urging the continued defence and protection of Victoria’s significant historic buildings and streetscapes. See our letter (16 February 2017).
2016
To the federal Minister for the Arts, advocating sustainable funding for Trove and the national collecting organisations. See the campaign page on Facebook and our submission (15 March 2016).
2015
To the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council's Investigation into Historic Places on Public Land, endorsing the submissions prepared by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and the Old Treasury Building. See our letter (22 December 2015).
To the Heritage Act Review, 2015: overview and our submission (31 August 2015).
To the federal Minister for the Environment, advocating better funding for history and heritage. See our letter (1 July 2015).
To the Victorian Special Minister of State, offering suggestions for State Budget Planning for local and community history. See our letter (9 March 2015).
2014
To the Victorian Minister for Planning, supporting the Royal Historical Society of Victoria's Drill Hall proposal. See our letter (11 December 2014).
Contact us about opportunities to participate in consultations, or with news about matters to which we might be able to respond.