Export licence granted for another heritage tractor

The machine in question is an International Titan Model D 25 horsepower oil tractor and is one of five known complete examples in Australia.

John Edgar from Drumborg in Victoria has been involved with the restoration of heritage engines for many years, most recently with the 1912 McDonald 'EB' oil tractor which is on display in the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

"None of the 1911 International Titan Type D tractors are on display," Mr Edgar said.

"It is one of very few of any type of early internal combustion tractors which changed Australian agriculture and regional society before WWI."

Mr Edgar said the tractor has been bought by an international dealer, and if export is allowed it will be lost to Australia forever.

"This heritage machine which is connected to the early agricultural history of Australia is only one of many such significant objects that has been subject to export facilitated by the Heritage Department," he said.

"Scant information is available on items such as the Titan Model D, and in this instance, it fails to meet the criteria to allow consideration for export."

It is Mr Edgar's strongly held view that this export permit be cancelled and a review of all applications, past and present be conducted.

"Some years previously a review of the current laws controlling such objects was conducted and known as the Simpson Review, it is a significant document which proposed sweeping change to the protections of Australian heritage objects," he said.

"Part of the criteria calls for independent assessment and on this occasion none of the three assessors actually inspected the Titan before lodging their report and there is reasonable argument that this is a failure of process.

"It is my strong view Minister Burke needs to respond to this ongoing problem with the Heritage Department and a reminder will be made election day by the million or so voting taxpayers within this heritage machinery movement as the current situation is not acceptable."

In response, a spokesperson from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, referred to legislation which covers Mr Edgar's concerns.

"Under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, objects that meet the criteria for Class B Australian protected objects must not be exported without a permit," the spokesperson said.

"The criteria are set out in the National Cultural Heritage Control List in the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Regulations 2018."

Applications for an export permit are referred to one or more independent expert examiners registered under the Act who provide advice on the significance of the object and a recommendation on whether a permit should be granted.

"The application and the recommendations of the expert examiner(s) are considered by the National Cultural Heritage Committee which provides advice to the Minister or the Minister's delegate under the Act," the spokesperson said.

"The final decision on whether to grant a permit rests with the Minister or Minister's delegate who must determine whether the object is of such importance to Australia, or a part of Australia, that its loss to Australia would significantly diminish the (overall) cultural heritage of Australia."

The spokesperson made the point that the process was followed in considering an application for an export permit for an International Titan D Agricultural Tractor, 1911, which was received in October 2022.

"Advice was sought from three expert examiners, two of whom recommended that a permit be granted and one recommended that a permit be refused," the spokesperson said.

"The application was considered by the National Cultural Heritage Committee in December 2022 and the Committee recommended that a permit be granted."

The departmental spokesperson further noted as part of Australia's new National Cultural Policy, Revive, which was published on 30 January 2023, the Government has committed to modernise the Act, to streamline and simplify processes for the protection of both Australian and foreign movable cultural heritage.

"In updating the Act, the Government will have regard to a number of inputs, including the Simpson Review which was completed in 2015," the spokesperson said.

"The Department is aware of the 1912 McDonald 'EB' oil tractor that was acquired by the National Museum of Australia in 2021 with the assistance of the National Cultural Heritage Account."

The tractor is currently on public display in the Museum's Gandel Atrium until 23 July 2023.

This tractor returned to Australia from the United States of America following its sale at auction in 2020 (see: McDonald EB tractor | National Museum of Australia (nma.gov.au)).