INTRODUCING OUR NEW PRESIDENT

Paul Leadbeter was elected President of the National Trust of south Australia in Novemer 2021, succeeding deborah Morgan, who served for four years from 2017.

ABOVE

Paul Leadbeter, President The National Trust of South Australia is an organisation that I am both honoured and proud to have been elected to lead as President. I am an environmental and land-use planning lawyer. I have worked as a legal officer in local government, as a lawyer in private practice and as a law academic. I have lived in South Australia since my mid teens although have family connections with South Australia extending back to the first European settlement of Adelaide. The heritage and history of South Australia and Adelaide has always fascinated me. I have been a member of the NTSA since my late teens and joined the Council in 2018. I have also been involved in the governing bodies of a number of environmental groups including the Conservation Council of SA and the Australian Conservation Foundation. We are currently living in unpredictable and challenging times. The COVID pandemic has changed the way we do many things in our society and the Trust has not been immune to those changes. Climate change is also beginning to make its presence felt on some of our day-to-day activities. Challenges also present opportunities. To survive and thrive we must adapt and grasp the opportunities. We need to look at new ways of managing the business of the Trust and our properties. Increasing the engagement and interest of younger generations in heritage and the Trust is essential. The Trust must become an adept user of all forms of social media and new technology. Our exciting Silver to Sea Way and Moonta Mines National Heritage projects will exemplify this approach. We need to encourage and promote the magnificent buildings and nature reserves under our custodianship as places people want to visit and enjoy. I believe we also need to do more to respectfully recognise the heritage of the Aboriginal people of this magnificent state. Under Deborah Morgan’s strong leadership the Trust continued its role as South Australia’s leading advocate for the protection of built, cultural, tangible and intangible and natural heritage. I am determined to do likewise. Changes to the State’s planning laws and policies are not presently providing the protection of built and natural heritage (including urban trees) which the community expects and deserves. We must continue to lobby for changes and improvements. I am keen to visit as many of our properties as I can and meet our many volunteers and supporters who provide the Trust with significant support and assistance.

Paul Leadbeter President