Victoria’s role in colonial past could see name change
OUR state’s name could be changed under a treaty with Aboriginal groups, says a prominent indigenous activist.
Victoria was named for Queen Victoria, who ruled the British Empire, including the Australian colonies, until 1901.
However, Aboriginal activist and former Greens MP Lidia Thorpe said a new name could be considered in treaty talks between the State Government and indigenous groups.
“Anything that’s named after someone who’s caused harm or murdered people, then I think we should take their name down,” Ms Thorpe said.
“It could even stay the same if that’s what people want, if that’s part of the negotiation outcome of a treaty where everyone gets to understand both sides.”
Calls to pull down statues and monuments linked to Australia’s colonial past have grown since the Black Lives Matter protests.
Ms Thorpe, who is a candidate for the vacant Victorian Greens Senate seat, said now was a chance to tell the full truth about monuments from the “colonial invasion”.
Melbourne co-founder
John Batman is honoured with Batman Ave and a monument at Queen Victoria Market.
City of Melbourne councillor Nicholas Reece said there were problems with Batman due to his involvement in the hunting of Tasmanian Aborigines.
“There’s a number of monuments and statues to John Batman, and I think there’s a case to be made around perhaps them being given a less prominent place in our city,” Cr Reece told 3AW.
Craft brewer Colonial Brewing Co has become the latest victim of cancel culture, with activists calling for the brand to be removed from shelves for “creating nostalgia” for a time when indigenous people “were killed en masse”.
The Australian familyowned business has been forced to look into the possibility of a costly rebranding.