February 3, 2015
Leesha McKenny
Months after its grand naming ceremony, Barangaroo's headland has become Sydney's most prominent moot point.
Despite being "officially named" Barangaroo Point by Premier Mike Baird in November, the name cannot be finalised until after the public has its say this month.
In the meantime, the process has sparked a boycott by the local Aboriginal land council, a dispute with Millers Point residents, and led the City of Sydney to directly contradict Mr Baird's office.
Any further opposition during this month's compulsory public consultation period has the potential to embarrass the state government, which also went ahead with the naming without first securing a formal recommendation from the NSW Geographical Names Board.
A board spokeswoman said it received the submission on November 18, just 10 days before "Barangaroo Point" was unveiled on a sandstone block by Mr Baird and former Prime Minister Paul Keating.
"There have been some reports in the media that the naming proposal has been finalised. This is not the case," the spokeswoman said.
The month-long public consultation period, which will inform the board's recommendation to the Planning Minister, only begins on February 11.
But Mr Baird's office said it planned to press ahead with the name, even if this was in the face of strong public opposition.
Last year's announcement followed formal approval by the Premier and Barangaroo Delivery Authority (BDA) and "in-principle" approval from the names board, Mr Baird's spokesman said.
"It followed consultation with local Aboriginal groups and the City of Sydney," he said.
However, a council spokesman said: "The City of Sydney was not consulted over the NSW Government's naming of Barangaroo Point".
Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Nathan Moran said his organisation boycotted the naming ceremony because of the "total lack of respect" shown when organisers enlisted someone from the state's central west to perform the "Welcome to Country".
"It didn't go down real well with us," said Mr Moran, who would discuss the issue at a meeting with the BDA later this week.
"It left a very bad stain on our relations with them."
The names board has also confirmed itreceived a secondary naming proposal for "Barangaroo Point Reserve" on January 27, despite the Premier's November 28 media release: "Barangaroo Point: New Harbourside Park officially named".
Nearby resident Chris Hinkley accused the government of "jumping the gun", adding the area already had a point: Millers Point.
"If all the government literature says 'Barangaroo Point' ... it's eventually going to default to Barangaroo Point and the name Millers Point will just be … something people look up in history books," he said.
Associate Professor Michael Darcy, the director of the urban research centre at the University of Western Sydney, said Millers Point residents who opposed the new name "have an argument".
Dr Darcy said the board must consider factors like historical continuity and possible confusion when making its recommendation to Planning Minister Pru Goward, who has the final say.
The designation "point" in the new name "is the centre of contention and possible confusion," he said.
"There are alternatives. You don't have to call it Barangaroo Point," Dr Darcy said.
A BDA spokesman said neither Millers Point the suburb nor the geographical feature were being replaced.
"We have created a new harbour headland and harbour coves and in doing so have also created a new point," the spokesman said.
Names of other Barangaroo landmarks selected through a public competition – Rowntrees Dock, Barton Street, Scotch Row and Exchange Place – will also be open to public comment from February 11.
RESOURCED: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/barangaroo-point-or-millers-point-new-name-sparks-messy-debate-20150203-12z3um.html
Leesha McKenny
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| Landmark location: Barangaroo headland taking shape. Photo: Peter Rae |
Months after its grand naming ceremony, Barangaroo's headland has become Sydney's most prominent moot point.
Despite being "officially named" Barangaroo Point by Premier Mike Baird in November, the name cannot be finalised until after the public has its say this month.
In the meantime, the process has sparked a boycott by the local Aboriginal land council, a dispute with Millers Point residents, and led the City of Sydney to directly contradict Mr Baird's office.
 |
| Official name not so official: The proposed names in the area. |
A board spokeswoman said it received the submission on November 18, just 10 days before "Barangaroo Point" was unveiled on a sandstone block by Mr Baird and former Prime Minister Paul Keating.
"There have been some reports in the media that the naming proposal has been finalised. This is not the case," the spokeswoman said.
The month-long public consultation period, which will inform the board's recommendation to the Planning Minister, only begins on February 11.
But Mr Baird's office said it planned to press ahead with the name, even if this was in the face of strong public opposition.
Last year's announcement followed formal approval by the Premier and Barangaroo Delivery Authority (BDA) and "in-principle" approval from the names board, Mr Baird's spokesman said.
"It followed consultation with local Aboriginal groups and the City of Sydney," he said.
However, a council spokesman said: "The City of Sydney was not consulted over the NSW Government's naming of Barangaroo Point".
Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Nathan Moran said his organisation boycotted the naming ceremony because of the "total lack of respect" shown when organisers enlisted someone from the state's central west to perform the "Welcome to Country".
"It didn't go down real well with us," said Mr Moran, who would discuss the issue at a meeting with the BDA later this week.
"It left a very bad stain on our relations with them."
The names board has also confirmed itreceived a secondary naming proposal for "Barangaroo Point Reserve" on January 27, despite the Premier's November 28 media release: "Barangaroo Point: New Harbourside Park officially named".
Nearby resident Chris Hinkley accused the government of "jumping the gun", adding the area already had a point: Millers Point.
"If all the government literature says 'Barangaroo Point' ... it's eventually going to default to Barangaroo Point and the name Millers Point will just be … something people look up in history books," he said.
Associate Professor Michael Darcy, the director of the urban research centre at the University of Western Sydney, said Millers Point residents who opposed the new name "have an argument".
Dr Darcy said the board must consider factors like historical continuity and possible confusion when making its recommendation to Planning Minister Pru Goward, who has the final say.
The designation "point" in the new name "is the centre of contention and possible confusion," he said.
"There are alternatives. You don't have to call it Barangaroo Point," Dr Darcy said.
A BDA spokesman said neither Millers Point the suburb nor the geographical feature were being replaced.
"We have created a new harbour headland and harbour coves and in doing so have also created a new point," the spokesman said.
Names of other Barangaroo landmarks selected through a public competition – Rowntrees Dock, Barton Street, Scotch Row and Exchange Place – will also be open to public comment from February 11.
RESOURCED: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/barangaroo-point-or-millers-point-new-name-sparks-messy-debate-20150203-12z3um.html
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