Issue 3: Local Aboriginal and dual naming

The clear view expressed across  submissions was that local and regional Aboriginal groups and organisations should be directly consulted about Aboriginal and dual name proposals, particularly those proposed in their local area.

Question 3.1: Should a revised Aboriginal and Dual Naming Policy provide improved opportunities for consultation with all Aboriginal organisations and groups, with a view to enhancing consultation and engagement with organisations that have specific interests in the locations where Aboriginal and dual names are proposed?

There was unanimous support across the 14 respondents that responded to this question, that consultation with Aboriginal community organisations, and particularly those that may have a specific interest in locations where Aboriginal and dual names are proposed, should be improved.

Three Aboriginal community responses called for one Aboriginal group to have ‘a formal role to oversee improved opportunities for consultation with all Aboriginal organisations and communities’ . Two submissions noted that such broader Aboriginal community consultation with local groups should be mandatory and evidence of such consultation provided to the Nomenclature Board and the consulted communities .

Two non-Aboriginal respondents noted that both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people should be involved in any consultation process, noting that such broader consultation would assist in wider community acceptance and use of Aboriginal and dual names .

Face-to-face consultations expressed concern that local knowledge and oral histories were not being taken into account due to the exclusion of adequate consultation and engagement with local Aboriginal groups with interests in the locations where Aboriginal and dual names are proposed.

Local government respondents supported improved consultation with one noting that such consultation should also be expanded to local ‘specific cultural heritage / history interest groups representative of the locality in question’ .