Former national president of the Australian Institute of Architects and spokesperson for the Hands Off Anzac Hall campaign Clare Cousins is angry with the National Capital Authority (NCA) and its plans for the Australian War Memorial, which will see Anzac Hall demolished and pave the way for a $500 million expansion.

Cousins says that this decision shows that the  “Australia’s regulatory framework has failed Australians at every step of this abomination of an ‘assessment’ process'" and one where, “Expert advice on the significant negative heritage impacts to the AWM from demolishing Anzac Hall, as well as widespread community opposition, have been equally ignored."

In fact, she says that this approval has created a precedent that endangers “every other piece of public architecture in this country”.

She talks exclusively to Talking Architecture & Design on the dismay within the design and wider community over this decision and what this may ultimately mean for heritage decisions in the future.