Marrickville: Victoria Rd debate, Colin Hesse brands media racist

A councillor has launched a stunning attack on the media over his proposal to remove Queen Victoria’s name from an inner west suburb.

UPDATED

Inner West Council will consider traditional Aboriginal names for streets across its suburbs after a debate over renaming Victoria Rd in Marrickville sparked controversy.

Greens councillor Colin Hesse had initially asked for the street to be renamed Gumbramorra, after the wetlands where the suburb now sits, but changed his motion on Monday to look at options all over the inner west as he labelled the media “racist”.

He initially asked council last month to remove just the name Victoria from a Marrickville street because her British Empire was “catastrophic to indigenous Australians”.

Queen Victoria by Sir George Hayter 1863 @ National Portrait Gallery Tudors and Windsors Exhibition Bendigo Art Gallery Images Courtesy of Bendigo Art Gallery

On Monday night Cr Hesse said the media “didn’t pick up renaming Marrickville Little Greece or Little Vietnam … but goes to town on Aboriginal issues”.

Both were covered by several media outlets in February.

“I was quite shocked by the way it was covered in the media especially on Channel 10,” he said.

“It’s gone to town on Aboriginal issues and that really, to me, tells me something about the media I hadn’t appreciated.

“I’ll frankly say it, in my view they’re racist.”

Councillors on Monday night voted unanimously in favour of asking staff to investigate what streets in the inner west would work to be changed to “culturally appropriate names”.

The inner west was one of the first councils in the country to move or cancel its Australia Day events on January 26 and uses Aboriginal names for its wards.

Greens councillor Louise Steer said name changes were “overdue” because white settlers had wiped out the Eora people in just 19 years after the First Fleet arrived.

Councillor Julie Passas, the only other of 15 in the chamber to speak on the issue, said there were bigger things to discuss before eventually voting in favour of it.

Cr Passas previously protested her council’s Australia Day stance by holding a standalone celebration on January 26.

“Things years ago were wrong, let’s make sure they never happen again,” she said.

“People want their footpaths fixed, people want streets cleaned, nobody wants street names changed and this is what started all this.”

ORIGINAL

By Anton Rose on May 10, 2021

An inner west councillor is proposing to change the name of Victoria Rd in Marrickville because the British Empire overseen by the monarch was “catastrophic” to Indigenous Australians.

Greens councillor Colin Hesse said his proposal asking that the name be changed to an aboriginal one was “not about identity politics” but would show respect to the history of the inner west.

Inner West Council uses Indigenous names for its wards and was one of the first local governments in the country to cancel or move all of its Australia Day events.

Cr Hesse said Queen Victoria never visited Australia yet numerous streets are already named after her as well as two states – Queensland and Victoria.

Cr Hesse said the move was out of respect to local Indigenous people. Picture: Christian Gilles

“I’m sure Queen Victoria couldn’t care less about Victoria Rd, Marrickville, I think she will cope,” he said.

One of the names Cr Hesse is proposing to change it to is Gombramorra – the traditional name of the wetland below the industrial areas of Marrickville and Sydenham.

“For Aboriginal peoples the invasion of the British Empire was catastrophic,” his motion states. “The British stole their lands, fouled their waters, took their food, and Aboriginal peoples were murdered or died of imported diseases...A new name may be a small token of reconciliation.”

Speaking of the proposal, he said: “This is not political correctness … I’m not interested in culture wars, it’s a matter of decency and respect.

“There are challenging things about identity politics in the world but why wouldn’t I treat any individual with decency and respect no matter their politics, gender or whatever.”

Renaming Victoria Rd, pictured, would potentially have a headache if the move is successful.

Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne said the only issue would be confusion for local businesses changing their address but supported the call.

“Aboriginal renaming is really important that’s why we renamed wards with aboriginal names,” he said.

“It was also the motive to moving (events) on January 26 away to mark that day.

“That’s been controversial with some people but I’ve received some support.”

Liberal councillor Julie Passas, who held an Australia Day ceremony in protest of council moving its official functions in 2019, said there were more pressing issues to residents.

“We have a deficit, our council is in turmoil and a councillor who isn’t standing at the next election wants to change the name of a street,” she said.

“He also wanted us to condemn the Turkish government for what they were doing to the Kurds.

“What they are putting up is really good for taxpayers...”