ACT Labor MLA Dr. Marisa Paterson will table in the ACT Legislative Assembly today a motion to recognise and celebrate First Nations heritage in place names in Weston Creek and the ACT more broadly.
Streets in the Weston Creek suburb of Waramanga are named after Aboriginal tribal groups, but ACTmapi lacks comprehensive detail and descriptions, Dr Paterson believes.
She proposes that the Legislative Assembly should work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body and AIATSIS to incorporate pertinent details about Aboriginal street names in Waramanga, and evaluate content provided on ACTmapi to enhance and bolster the cultural identity of the ACT.
“In a time when there is fierce public debate leading up to the current referendum for a Voice to parliament, I think it is constructive to engage with our heritage here in the ACT,” Dr Paterson said.
“In May 1967, Australians overwhelmingly voted to change the constitution so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people would be counted as part of the population. Literally a year later (June 1968), the suburb of Waramanga was gazetted, and the suburb and streets were named after Aboriginal tribal groups, predominately in the Northern Territory. I would suggest that the naming of Waramanga was very much riding on the national momentum for change, for recognition and equality.
“While ACTmapi offers valuable information about street names and their themes in the ACT, there is a notable discrepancy in the level of detail provided for the suburb of Waramanga, Weston Creek. There is an obvious administrative oversight that I would like to correct. Waramanga streets are named after Aboriginal tribal groups; however, unlike other suburbs street names in ACTmapi, there is a lack of comprehensive detail and descriptions for Waramanga street names.”
“The names of suburbs, streets, and places in the ACT pay tribute to Australia’s remarkable people, geography, heritage, and history. These names honour a diverse array of individuals, both well-known figures and those whose achievements might have been less publicised. They collectively embody some of our Indigenous heritage, national leaders in all fields, and captivating stories, which are beautifully reflected in the names of our national capital.
“Sharing information about street names can inspire community involvement in preserving and celebrating our suburbs, in this case, Waramanga’s rich and progressive history. By improving understanding and accessibility to information, hopefully local residents become more engaged in their understandings of their local heritage, and in Canberra, this allows us to connect more broadly with our Australian heritage.
“While this motion is small in its calls on the ACT Government, it highlights the importance of these moments in our history. We see from the ‘Yes’ vote in the 1967 referendum, the flow-on positive effects of embracing constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. And today, as we embrace another referendum, it’s worth amplifying our rich ACT heritage, and how it sits alongside and embraces our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, and how a ‘Yes’ vote can make the most quiet and subtle of differences for grassroots change.”
