Renaming of electorate for Aboriginal leader abandoned after disagreement

Tasmanian electorate of Franklin renaming to Tongerlongeter abandoned, AEC cites Aboriginal groups' complaints In short: A proposal to rename a Tasmanian electorate after an Indigenous resistance leader has been abandoned. If the change had gone ahead, it would have been the first time in the state's history that an electorate was named after an Aboriginal person. What's next? The Australian Electoral Commission has said any change to electorate names would be best considered at future redistributions, when it could conduct further consultation. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has abandoned a controversial plan to rename a Tasmanian electorate after an Aboriginal resistance leader. WARNING: This article contains a depiction of an Aboriginal person who has died The AEC proposed renaming the electorate of Franklin, which takes in Hobart's eastern shore and southern Tasmania, to Tongerlongeter — an Aboriginal leader and warrior who died in 1837. The proposed change was canvassed at the same time as the AEC announced an electoral boundary redistribution, which will see more than a quarter of Tasmanians voting in a new electorate. The AEC said the new boundaries would take effect from the next federal election, but all electorates would retain their current names, including Franklin. "The panel considered the case for the proposed name to be very strong — including Tongerlongeter's strong connection to the area encompassed by the new boundaries of the electorate of Franklin," Australian Electoral Commissioner Jeff Pope said. "However, public submissions not only indicated a level of disagreement among Tasmanian Aboriginal organisations and individuals about the proposed name but also highlighted a broad sentiment that further consultation was required. "While other name options were put forward — including Mathinna, Rooke and Woureddy — the panel had to reach its final decision based on the evidence and views already received. "The redistribution process allows no more time for further consultation." 'Offensive and absurd': TAC reject renaming The proposal had been criticised by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC), which said the warrior's name was actually Tukalunginta, and that he died resisting British invasion. "To suggest that Tukalunginta's name should now be used to represent the very colonial political system he resisted — one that, 223 years later, continues to deny Aborigines the same rights he fought and died defending, is offensive and absurd," TAC campaign manager Nala Mansell said at the time. The AEC had consulted with the public since October last year on the new electoral boundaries, but did not reveal the proposed name change until July 15. The commission said by that point, it only had seven days for further consultation. "The panel did seek to engage the various members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community on the question of the name of the electorate, and a number of organisations and individuals from the Aboriginal community took the opportunity to express their views through a formal submission," Mr Pope said. "This outreach included contacting the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre before and after a name was proposed, to encourage the TAC to consider making a submission, noting the submissions process is the formal way the panel can receive input under redistribution laws." The AEC decided any change to electorate names would be best considered at future redistributions, when it could conduct further consultation. After July's announcement of the name change and new boundaries, the AEC received 272 written submissions. In their submissions, both the First Peoples (Tasmania) Aboriginal Corporation and Parrdarrama Pungenna Aboriginal Corporation both endorsed the name change to Tongerlongeter. If the change had gone ahead, it would have been the first time a Tasmanian electorate was named after an Aboriginal person.