The decision to name a new local square Women’s Place has again been hotly debated in Cumberland Council, with opponents saying another name needs to be considered.
A Rescission Motion to change Council’s decision to name the new $11 million Merrylands Civic Square ‘Dyin Ngurra’ – Dharug for Women’s Place – was put forward at the latest meeting, after some Councillors labelled the title as “sexist.”
The Motion, which was moved by Councillor Steve Christou, called for Council to give a second name, Mudyin Ngurra, meaning Family Place, alongside Women’s Place as an option for the public to consider.
“Unfortunately the Mayor took it upon herself to just present one option and there wasn’t a process of democracy followed,” he said.
“The Mayor decided to propose the name Women’s Place, which I have no issues with, on a multi-million-dollar project but not provide other alternatives to put out to our community, with no consultation whatsoever to her fellow Councillors that were elected.
“Also, no other consultation through briefings to the community as I well, I think that’s a lack of due process and democracy.”
Councillor Eddy Sarkis said the name Women’s Place will make a lot of locals uncomfortable.
“To just pick a gender and name it after a gender it’s like saying to somebody ‘would you feel comfortable as a lady going into the men’s toilet? Would you feel comfortable as a man going into the ladies toilet?’,” he said.
“I would never suggest we name a place a Men’s Place, because I know how that would go down and I would not endorse that.
“What we’re saying is let’s give the community more than one option.”
However, Councillor Ola Hamed spoke against the motion.
“A’Becketts Creek, named by the Europeans, has one of its upper reaches in the vicinity of the square. It is believed that creeks and rivers were places of women’s business in Indigenous terms, hence the square deserves a Dharug name and one that does honour women,” she said.
“The Merrylands Civic Square is a significant landmark and designating it accordingly, honouring the Indigenous and, in fact, all women, is appropriate and fitting and this could be considered a milestone on the path to reconciliation.”
Mayor Lisa Lake said the naming of the square will lay the foundation for a proposal for an art installation that celebrates remarkable local women who’ve made “significant but largely unrecognised” contributions to the area.
“Whilst Women’s Place can mark the spot for an art piece that highlights certain great local women, Family Place just won’t lend itself to that same acknowledgment of identified people,” she said.
“This isn’t a sexist or discriminatory idea Councillors, it’s just one that seeks inspiration from that half of our population which even today is rarely acknowledged.”
When put to a vote, only Christou, Sarkis, Paul Garrard, Helen Hughes and Michael Zaiter supported the motion, while the rest of the Chamber opposed it. The motion was then lost.
The name Dyin Ngurra will go on public exhibition for 28 days.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.