Ben Boyd National Park: Matt Kean responds to call for name change
Aboriginal elders on the south coast are calling for a national park to be renamed so it can be rid of Scottish businessman linked to the slave trade.
The South Coast News
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A push by traditional owners to change the controversially named Ben Boyd National Park gained traction this week, 50 years after the park was named after the Scottish businessman linked to the practice of “blackbirding”.
In a letter to the chief executive of Thaua Country Aboriginal Corporation, Steven Holmes, NSW Environment and Energy Minister Matt Kean said he was concerned the national park, south of Eden on the south coast, is “associated” with a practice akin to slavery.
The practice of Blackbirding involved the coercion of people through deception or kidnapping to work as slaves or poorly paid labourers in countries distant to their native land.
In 1847 Boyd, an early colonial businessman better known for his whaling ventures, shipped 65 men from New Caledonia and Vanuatu to Eden.
On Wednesday, Bega Valley Shire Council voted to write to Mr Kean in support of broader engagement with the local community, with councillor Robyn Bain adding to the motion that council should support the idea of dual-naming the park, retaining Boyd’s name alongside a traditional name yet to be decided.
Bega Council’s director community, environment and planning, Alice Howe, said it was “fantastic” to see the council advocate on behalf of the community.
Last year a plaque dedicated to Boyd at Neutral Bay, commemorating his first landing in Sydney in 1842, was covered up by North Sydney Council after concerns it may be vandalised.
A petition to the same council was also launched to rename Ben Boyd Rd in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement last year.
Mr Holmes, a Thaua elder and direct descendant of Budginbro, the Chief of Twofold Bay, said the naming of his cultural land, which has become an iconic south coast tourist spot, after Boyd was disrespectful and should be stopped.
“A lot of the wider community are happy for the name change, you can see it on the positive posts on social media,” Mr Holes said.
He said despite him being a moving force behind the debate to change the name over the last few years, he was concerned he and other traditional custodians would not be consulted over what any new name would be.
Mr Holmes said the community also still had doubts the name would be changed given the bureaucratic processes involved, and he said he hoped he would see it changed before he dies.
Boyd’s experiment in finding cheap indentured labour among the Pacific Islands was a failure, and lead to the changing of laws in NSW.
This year marks 50 years since the national park, which sits within Thaua land, was given his name.
In the letter to Mr Holmes, Mr Kean said an “independent assessment” of Boyd’s blackbirding practices was currently underway with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
“While there is considerable documentation raising concerns over Benjamin Boyd’s engagement in this practice, alternate views exist in the literature and the community,” Mr Kean said.
“Any discussion on the appropriateness of the current name should be preceded by an independent assessment of the historical record.
“The outcome of the investigation will inform the potential renaming of the national park.
“I support the principle that any new name should have strong Aboriginal associations and connections and will ask NPWS to seek the advice of the Aboriginal community on any such proposal.”
He said the proposal would be put to the Geographical Names Board of NSW, the body responsible for approving names.
“In 1847, Boyd was criticised for importing 65 Melanesian workers, with allegations they were brought to Australia against their will,” a Bega Council spokesman said.
“These charges were investigated in 1847 by the then Attorney-General and found not to be substantiated. Since then, these allegations have been made by various parties.
“Should the minister’s review find that the name should be changed, there is some risk that the proposal will create disharmony within the local community, among those for and against the review findings.
“In the lead up to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Ben Boyd National Park, the current historical investigation presents an opportunity for truth-telling around the impacts of colonisation.”
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