Community push to rename Macquarie Street hits stumbling block as council officers reject proposal

Council officers want to dismiss a community push to rename a major street, arguing that changing the name would “create a significant precedent” and criticism of the council. LATEST >>

Peak hour traffic on Macquarie Street. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Hobart City Council officers have recommended that a community push to rename Macquarie Street be dismissed, arguing that changing the name would “create a significant precedent” and may result in the council being “criticised”.

A report prepared by the council’s manager city infrastructure Geoff Lang and director city enablers Michael Reynolds concluded that the renaming should not be pursued because it didn’t comply with the state government’s Tasmanian Place Naming Guidelines.

The council received a petition signed by 279 people in September last year, urging it to change the name of the key arterial road due to the historical figure it was named after, former NSW governor Lachlan Macquarie, purportedly being responsible for the deaths of “many” Aboriginal people.

Peak hour traffic on Macquarie Street. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Macquarie was the governor of NSW from 1810 to 1821.

The petitioners have pointed to a 2017 ABC Fact Check article, which estimated that Macquarie’s 1816 order for soldiers to kill or capture any Aboriginal people they encountered during a military operation ultimately led to the killing of “at least” 14 men, women and children.

The council, which is the naming authority for roads within the municipality under the Place Names Act, has been urged to change the name of Macquarie Street to Kunanyi Street.

However, Hobart officers said that, according to the Tasmanian Place Naming Guidelines, a name change would require more than 500 properties, residences and businesses to be consulted and a new name would need to be approved, which they said would require a separate consultation process.

“Renaming Macquarie Street would create a significant precedent and is likely to result in requests for other streets to be renamed,” the report reads.

“There is a risk that the council would be criticised if it resolves to change the name of Macquarie Street.”

The officers have recommended that councillors reject the petition.

Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet. Picture: Chris Kidd

Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet said the motion would be discussed at Monday night’s council meeting and that it was possible councillors could move to investigate a consultation process over a potential renaming of the street.

She said the issue of the state’s dark colonial past was particularly topical following the council’s decision to remove the statue of former Tasmanian premier William Crowther from Franklin Square.

“After the Crowther statue, obviously there is that interest in having those conversations, whether that be through place names, whether it be through a more considered conversation as to how Aboriginal names might be recognised,” Ms Burnet said.

Rodney Dillon from the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance has previously called for Macquarie Street to be renamed because of Macquarie’s treatment of Aboriginal people.

Originally published as Community push to rename Macquarie Street hits stumbling block as council officers reject proposal