City of Melbourne motion seeks more women statues to reduce inequality in city

A motion for more women statues to promote equality has been proposed to the City of Melbourne, with one councillor labelling the gap “absurd”.

A motion to the City of Melbourne is asking for more women statues across the city. Picture: David Caird

More statues of women are set be erected in Melbourne as Town Hall declares that the gap between male and female statues is absurd and a “moral hazard”.

But this will have no effect on Premier Daniel Andrews getting a statue for his long time in the job.

In a motion to go before a City of Melbourne meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece wants council’s art and memorials policies changed to give priority to new statues honouring significant women.

“Of the 580 statues in the municipality, only nine depict women from history,” he said.

“The gap between male and female statues in Melbourne is beyond absurd, it is a moral hazard.”

Existing statues of men, such as Matthew Flinders, won’t be torn down.

If endorsed, the new policy will not lead to the tearing down of current monuments to men such as explorers Burke and Wills and Matthew Flinders, and prominent 19th century judge and benefactor Sir Redmond Barry.

And the rules will only apply to statues proposed for council land, so Mr Andrews will still get his honour alongside other long-serving premiers on state government-owned land outside 1 Treasury Place. Premiers must have served at least 3000 days to get a statue.

Mr Reece said the push to promote tributes to women was not about diminishing the efforts of people honoured with existing statues.

“This is about a fairer recognition of our past, present and future,” he said.

The new stance will give guidelines to the council’s independent public art advisory panel to identify opportunities to commemorate significant women from Melbourne’s history.

The panel will also be asked to give priority to artistic responses that include a “figurative” depiction of women when considering statues and memorials.

The motion makes clear that contemporary artistic practice leans away from figurative statues in favour of more abstract representations.

Council is yet to decide on candidates for future statues, but Mr Reece calls on management to work with the community to enable the delivery of at least three new statues of women.

His motion also affirms support for equality of gender, First Nations and cultural diversity within the City of Melbourne’s art program as enshrined in its Public Art Framework 2021-31, Creative Strategy 2018 and Plaques and Memorials policy 2016.

The council’s art and heritage outdoor collection includes 25 statues, of which 19 depict men, four show women and one shows both a man and a woman.

In March, the state government announced grants of $50,000 to $200,000 to organisations planning public art monuments to celebrate women.