Moreland residents demand more consultation on name change

A group of Moreland residents are fighting the move to change the municipality’s name, arguing the community was not adequately consulted about the decision.

Moreland City Council last month voted to change the name, which it’s held for 28 years, due to its association with a Jamaican sugar plantation that used slave labour.

While postal surveys were circulated to residents earlier this year, Councillor Oscar Yildiz says the survey was a fait accompli because it only offered three pre-selected names.

“In my opinion there should have been a fourth option there and that should have been either Moreland or keep it as it is,” Councillor Yildiz told Ross and Russel.

Six per cent of the 6315 responses preferred no name change. As there was no option on the form for this, those who dissented had done so by writing comments on their survey paper, and this option was not publicised by the council.

A petition signed by more than 1400 residents which is demanding the consultation process be revisited, will be tabled at a council meeting tonight.

“We’ve got nearly 190,000 residents. To get back a survey surveying 8000 people and 6000 of them apparently chose the name Merri-bek, it’s not good enough. I mean, that’s not a true reflection of the community, is it?,” Cr Yildiz said.

“Moreland residents are receiving their rates. I received mine yesterday — $3810.

“The first thing that jumped into my mind is, ok, $3810, how much of this is going towards the name change?”

Press PLAY below to hear Councillor Oscar Yildiz’s issue with the name-change process

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