Brisbane City Councillors debate whether white settlement statue marks ‘start of invasion’

Councillors locked horns this week over whether a statue commemorating Brisbane’s first settlers also marked the “start of the invasion”.

The Petrie Tableau, at King George Square, became the subject of heated debate this week over whether it marked the “start of the invasion”.

COUNCILLORS locked horns this week over whether a statue commemorating Brisbane’s first settlers also marked the “start of the invasion”.

The statue is part of a new public art trail meant to tell Brisbane’s history that has been criticised for ignoring the city’s Indigenous heritage while celebrating its first white settlers.

Brisbane City Council’s City Planning committee was told on Tuesday more than 20 artefacts were “hand-picked” for a new trail meant to mark important events in Brisbane’s history.

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The first one detailed in the presentation was the Petrie Tableau, a statue in King George Square, which depicts the Petrie family — the first free-settling family in the Brisbane region.

Greens Cr Jonathan Sri pointed out there were no artefacts related to significant events in the history of Indigenous people in Brisbane and asked if the trail only marked “positive” ones.

“There would be plenty of events that are quite significant in terms of Aboriginal history as well and it’s interesting that we don’t commemorate those in the same way?” he said.

Cr Jonathan Sri asked City Planning chairman Matthew Bourke if he would explore whether significant events in Indigenous history could be included on the new art trail. Picture: AAP/Regi Varghese

City Planning chairman Matthew Bourke said it included events like the Commonwealth Games, Expo 88 and G20 before Labor Cr Jared Cassidy cut him off.

“What’s the first one? The early settlers?” Cr Cassidy asked.

Cr Bourke confirmed the Petrie Tableau was on the trail.

Cr Sri said the first white family settling in region was “not necessarily” a positive event.

“It was what started the invasion,” he said.

“I’m not being provocative, I’m just calling a spade a spade,” Cr Sri said.

LNP Cr Ryan Murphy (Doboy) asked how what Cr Sri said could not be considered a provocative statement.

“It’s the founding of modern Brisbane,” he said.

Cr Ryan Murphy said white settlement was a “complex event with varying perspectives”. Picture: Ellen-Maree Elliot

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Cr Sri agreed - to a point.

“Sure but, it’s also the start of the invasion. I think we have to acknowledge that.”

Cr Murphy said the committee could acknowledge that it was a complex event with varying perspectives.

“But that’s not to say it was an invasion,” he said.

Cr Bourke cut in sharply saying the committee was not debating the city’s history, but a public art trail.

City Planning chairman Matthew Bourke promised to investigate establishing an Indigenous heritage art trail and later committed to asking if Indigenous heritage artefacts could be included on the main trail. Picture: AAP/Steve Pohlner

Before the invasion debate he had promised he would ask about establishing an Indigenous heritage art trail after Cr Sri asked why there were no Indigenous events on the trail.

After that, Cr Sri had to ask him twice he would commit to ensuring Indigenous heritage was included on the Brisbane Event History Art Trail, not simply on a different trail.

Cr Bourke said he was “more than happy to take that on board. I’ll take it to council officers and take their advice”.

Cr Jared Cassidy said the city should acknowledge the dark periods of our history. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

Cr Cassidy, the opposition’s city planning spokesman, later said the city did no service for our modern democracy by shying away from dark periods in our past.

“Having an art trail that celebrates significant moments in Brisbane history, but only for white people, is a slap on the face for people who have called the land home for 3000 generations,” he said.

“Why segregate our history? We have a shared history and it’s not all pleasant, it’s not.

He said Brisbane City Council should be talking to Aboriginal elders and all Aboriginal people so they could nominate significant events for the art trail.