Driving name change
CONGRATULATIONS must go to North Queensland First leader and Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan on his proposal for renaming the Bruce Highway as the Captain Cook Highway – importantly, with appropriate signage recognising indigenous occupation (Queensland Hansard, 21/5/20).
About a decade ago I had a letter published raising the idea of renaming and wrote to federal and state ministers, the upshot of which was:
• As a national highway, the Commonwealth pays for the upkeep and maintenance of
“The Bruce”.
• The state is responsible for naming.
• There was an issue as to who would fund the cost of any renaming.
• Concern existed about “celebrating” Cook in this way causing offence to indigenous peoples.
Mr Costigan’s proposal addresses each of these issues. In reverse order:
• The renaming and First Nations signage would engage indigenous people in the process and provide overdue recognition and partnership opportunities for indigenous peoples with tourism agencies.
• Signage could be paid for jointly by the Commonwealth and the state, with sources from funds devoted to reconciliation.
• Using Cook’s name in lieu of a 1930s Queensland politician places commemorating the world-known cartographer above parochial politics.
• A highway bearing the Cook name and that of First Nations peoples would pressure the Commonwealth into maintaining the road and effecting improvements.
In addition, this move has the potential to increase tourism and to provide a source of pride for indigenous peoples and their country in a way that creates scope for the promotion of education about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
NEIL FRANCEY, Mackay.