‘We won’t be silenced’: Indigenous criticism of hospital name change grows as premier doubles down

Premier Daniel Andrews has angered Victoria’s democratically elected First Nations body by insisting it focus on negotiating a treaty instead of criticising him for renaming the Maroondah Hospital in honour of the Queen.

But the co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly, Marcus Stewart, says Victoria’s pathway to treaty includes speaking out about matters of concern and that the Assembly will not be silenced in trying to protect Indigenous culture.

Marcus Stewart, co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly, has criticised the decision to rename Maroondah Hospital after the late Queen.Credit: Justin McManus

“The premier has another thing coming if he thinks we’ll be dictated to about what we can and can’t talk about,” Stewart told The Age.

After a flurry of complaints from Indigenous leaders about the proposed renaming of the hospital in Melbourne’s east after the late Queen Elizabeth, Andrews told the Assembly to stick to its job of hammering out a treaty framework.

“They’re elected to negotiate treaties,” he said on Tuesday. “That’s what they need to do. That’s what they’re elected to do, and we’re delivering that treaty. And I wouldn’t want anyone to lose sight of that factor.”

Stewart, who on Monday said the name change had turned the hospital into a “culturally unsafe place for our people”, refused to back down.

“We’ve been elected by our people to create a pathway to treaty and, of course, that involves speaking up about things our community cares about. We won’t be silenced. We will always seek recognition for our history and do what we can to protect our culture.”

The Assembly is the elected body to represent traditional owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Victoria and is independent of the state government.

The Closing the Gap Partnership Forum, which said the proposed new name for the hospital was not a “serious or respectful choice for a government doing treaty”, criticised Andrews for his slap down of the Assembly.

“The premier has responded to criticism of his decision by dismissing it,” said the group, a committee of peak Aboriginal organisations.

Daniel Andrews doubled down on the hospital renaming on Tuesday.Credit: AAP

“If the premier is committed to the treaty process, he will have to have many tough conversations with our communities. It is not a good sign that he has run so quickly from this discussion.”

As the criticism of the hospital name change mounted, the Victorian Greens introduced a motion to the upper house on Tuesday calling on the government to immediately reverse the decision. The motion is likely to go to a vote on Wednesday.

“Changing the name of the hospital from a First Nations Woiwurrung word to the name of a foreign monarch on the other side of the world, who represents colonisation to so many, is utterly disrespectful,” said the leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam.

“It’s the sort of decision that calls into question the government’s approach to treaty, when it doubles down and refuses to listen to First Nations people.”

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe and Greens leader Samantha Ratnam.Credit: Wayne Hawkins

Despite the protests, Andrews has repeated his commitment to rename the hospital.

“It’s going to get a new name, and it’s going to be absolutely fantastic: 9000 extra patients admitted every year, 24,000 extra patients receiving emergency department care. That’s my focus,” he said on Tuesday.

“It’ll be in the city of Maroondah, the whole local government area is named Maroondah, and it’ll be quite close by to the Maroondah highway.”

Andrews revealed his government’s $1 billion plan on Sunday, describing the Queen as a “longstanding supporter of Victoria’s healthcare system”, comments he reinforced on Tuesday.

“The Queen was a very strong supporter of the NHS in Britain,” he said. “She was a very strong supporter of public hospital patients. A patron. Someone who opened hospitals in Victoria.

“I don’t think anybody could question her compassion and her genuine interest in care, in patients in hospitals and our health system.”

Construction on the hospital upgrade would begin in 2025 and open in stages from 2029. The project would create around 2500 jobs.

Several Indigenous groups and leaders have criticised Andrews’ plan since the announcement. The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) said it was “deeply insulted” by the decision to rename the facility in honour of the late monarch.

The government is under fire over plans to rename the Maroondah Hospital. Credit: Eddie Jim

“The disappointing name change comes on the back of the federal government’s insensitive decision to ask us to mourn a person who represented an empire that took so much from First Peoples,” the organisation said.

“This week’s day of mourning is yet another insult when Aboriginal people have been advocating to declare January 26 a day of mourning for decades.”

VACCHO executive officer Jill Gallagher, a Gunditjmara woman from western Victoria and the state’s former treaty commissioner, described the name change as hurtful.

“There are already countless statues, landmarks and venue names dedicated to colonial-era British people. There are two entire states named after queens. The capital of Victoria is named after a British prime minister – it never ends,” Gallagher said.

“This is a time when our society is in desperate need for increased recognition of Aboriginal leaders, words and culture.“

The chief executive officer of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Nerita Waight, echoed the condemnation of the decision.

“Words matter, and the premier’s choice of words are another reminder that our people don’t matter. Our lives don’t matter to the systems and people who have power in Victoria,” Waight said.

Victorian Greens senator Lidia Thorpe also said the decision was “an insult”.

“This is not what treaty looks like, Dan,” Thorpe wrote on Twitter.

The premier found an unlikely ally in outgoing Liberal Kew MP Tim Smith, who defended the name change and pushed for other Liberals to support it in a post on Twitter on Monday.

“I can’t believe this, and I’ve barely said it in eight years, but someone in the opposition needs to say, ‘Yes, Andrews’ idea of renaming Maroondah Hospital after the late Queen Elizabeth II is a good idea’,” he wrote.

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