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Advocacy Overview

The Royal Australian Historical Society is committed to promoting local and community history, particularly that of New South Wales. The Society and its members are active in providing leadership to the broader community on history and heritage matters, as well as on issues regarding access to historical records, funding, and other challenges impacting the practice of local and community history.

Where appropriate, the Society draws on the expertise of its councillors and members to respond to issues and concerns that impact history and heritage. The type of response is determined on a case-by-case basis and the availability of resources and may include the following activities:

  • Submissions by the RAHS Council to governments at all levels, ministers, agencies and key stakeholders;
  • Promotion of an advocacy campaign through the RAHS eNewsletter, History magazine, website and social media channels;
  • Providing advice on how to undertake research to support a heritage-related campaign.

Key areas monitored by the Society are:

  • Heritage, in particular proposed changes to the status of heritage-listed items;
  • Access for researchers to historical records and libraries;
  • Grants programs that support history projects;
  • Funding to arts institutions that promote and support NSW history;
  • History education.

The RAHS encourages individual and affiliated society members to contact us if they have any queries concerning our advocacy role.