DESIRABILITY OF NAME CHANGES.(geographical naming and the Republic, Australia)(Brief Article)

SIR: While disagreeing profoundly with the dismissive anti-republicanism of David Flint's article "Any Republic, Whatever It Takes" (May 2001) may I at least enlighten him in his speculation about possible changes under a republic to the names of Australian states, cities, streets etc. He is clearly unaware that a sub-committee of the Australian Republican Movement (of which, as a long-time campaigner for local correctness in nomenclature, I have the honour to be chair) is already at work compiling lists of suitable Australian names to replace those forced on this country by an imperialist invader and too often associated with a foreign country and its discredited monarchy. These will be "phased in" as soon as the legitimate aspirations of all Australians to a republican constitution are implemented.

Several principles have been adopted by the sub-committee in determining name changes. One is that wherever possible names deriving from some irrelevant British monarch or prime minister of the past, for example "Adelaide", "Melbourne", "Victoria" should be replaced by the indigenous name of an illustrious Koori statesperson from the long and glorious centuries of this country's pre-British history. Unfortunately, few records of these names survive, since most Koori archives were destroyed by colonialist invaders. Therefore, when appropriate, the sub-committee will recommend the name of a distinguished Koori statesperson of today. On this principle Adelaide will become "Louitja" and Melbourne "Patandmickdodson". (Queensland will be an exception to this and become simply "Presidentsland".) Our national capital, whose present name from the odious squatter era is such an embarrassment, will be renamed after the late, great Charles Perkins. If some object that there are two few of even modern indigenous worthies to replace all the imperialist names, even after exhausting the membership of ATSIC, well then there will be a multiplicity of Louitjas, distinguishable from each other by "-town", "-ville", "-hurst" and so on. Would anyone wish to limit the number of honours due to such a great Australian?

A second principle is the use of modern Australian names of people, indigenous and not-so-indigenous, who have contributed to this country's greatness. Sport is a prime example here, and Sydney, as our Olympics city, will become "Cathyfreeman". Kieren Perkins and Pat Rafter are high on our list, though reservations are entertained about some of our earlier sportspeople such as Walter Lindrum, Frank Sedgman and Donald Bradman (particularly "Sir" Donald Bradman!) on the grounds of their being suspected of monarchical ...