Naming contest for ferries all wet

Controversy sinks Australian attempt to honor worthy

Last year, the Australian government announced the results of a competition to pick the names of six new ferries that would enter into use in Sydney. Five of the names picked were of prominent Australians, including doctors and indigenous leaders, but when it came to naming the final ferry, things went another direction — and the boat ended up with the name “Ferry McFerryface.”

Justifying the decision, New South Wales Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance admitted it was an odd choice but said it was what the people had wanted.

However, new information reported by Australian media outlet 9NEWS last week suggests Ferry McFerryface did not come close to winning the public vote.

And even though it cost $81,000 to hold a competition designed to weed out ridiculous names, the local government ignored the results and chose Ferry McFerryface.

But after the local government announced the name of the ferry would be changed to that of a children’s author, May Gibbs, another report suggested that name was also ineligible under the rules of the competition.

Sydney locals had first been called on to help select the ferry names in 2016. Voters were asked first for nominations in three categories — arts and culture, connections to Sydney Harbor or science, environment and innovation — which would then be sent to an honorary panel that would recommend names.

The general public would then be asked to cast votes on the nine names suggested by the panel.

But when the last name was announced in November, Constance said Sydney residents had not picked the panel’s suggestions and instead voted for another name — Boaty McBoatface. That name had won a similar 2016 vote in Britain for a polar research vessel just two months before the Australian vote had opened.

Constance said that as that name was already taken, his government had no choice but to go with the second most popular name.