"The Government is strongly committed to increasing New Zealanders' sense of their distinctive history and traditions",
Auckland Central MP Judith Tizard said today.
The Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage made the comment when she announced the transfer of the History
and Heritage Units of the Department of Internal Affairs to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
The move will address the fragmentation of Government's interests in culture and heritage and increase the range of
specialised heritage expertise available within the Ministry.
By increasing the size of the Ministry, the transfer would allow it to develop business support services, said Ms
Tizard.
The units look after national monuments, historic graves and true war graves and research and write works of history
important to national identity, such as war histories and the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.
The transfer will occur on July 1 and will not involve the loss of any jobs. Staff will physically change offices by
October.
For further comment contact margot.staunton@parliament.govt.nz