Whopping cost of Moreland Council’s name change revealed

The Moreland council is posed to change its “racist” name in a move that will sting ratepayers millions. This is what the cash will be splashed on.

Moreland City Council will change its name next year after councillors voted in favour of dropping the current title which has links to a 19th-century Jamaican slave estate.

At a special meeting on Monday night, councillors voted six votes in favour and three opposed to dropping the current name with the rebrand expected to cost ratepayers more than $500,000 as bins, signage and websites are updated between 2022 and 2024.

However Independent Oscar Yildiz - who opposed the motion - said the true cost would be in the “millions”.

“The 500 thousand is over two years but a lot of that money will go towards consultation,” Cr Yildiz told the Herald Sun.

“In the long-term I think it’ll end up costing millions.

“We’re a very large municipality, to change every street name, to change the stationery, vehicles it will cost a lot.”

Cr Yildiz also slammed the timing of the move suggesting Moreland residents had been through the “toughest” time of their lives in recent months and didn’t deserve another rate hike.

“We still have residents who haven’t paid rates in two years and now we’re going to impose another cost?” he said.

“This is not the time to be suggesting a name change.”

Community consultation on a new name will begin next year.

Those in favour included the council’s four Greens’ councillors, Socialist councillor Sue Bolton and Labor councillor Lambros Tapinos.

The change was opposed by Independents Oscar Yildiz, Helen Davidson and Helen Pavlidis-Mihalakos.

Farquhar McCrae was a pivotal character in the ‘Moreland’ name.

Last month the Herald Sun revealed the name change was set to go ahead after Indigenous elders and community representatives alerted councillors of the historic links to racism.

On Monday, the council considered a report that detailed early Melbourne settler Farquhar McCrae who named his land near Moonee Ponds Creek after a family plantation in Jamaica, which traded in slaves, sugar and rum.

The report said the Moreland Council name only dated to 1994 following the merger of Brunswick, Coburg and Broadmeadows councils.

“In its 27 years, Moreland City Council has historically stood against racism and for diversity,” it said.

“Having a name which is considered racist and offensive conflicts with this history, and with council’s commitment to social justice, diversity and community inclusion.”

“Retaining the name now … could cause considerable reputational damage to Moreland as a progressive and responsive local government service provider to a diverse multicultural community.”