MEDIA RELEASE

The ACT Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Economy and Gender and Economic Equality (the Committee) will be announcing its call for written submissions to its inquiry into memorialisation through public commemoration—on Wednesday 14 July 2021.

Submissions should address some or all of the Terms of Reference.  The call for submissions closes on Tuesday 30 November 2021.

‘Public commemoration of individuals through the naming of streets and suburbs, electorates, buildings, public spaces and the installation of statues and monuments preserves the memory of these individuals, their values and contributions. An important question to ask is whether there is a balanced representation in those individuals that are recognised and celebrated.  This inquiry seeks to examine the promotion of equality and diversity in the people recognised through public commemoration (places, monuments, streets, and suburbs) in the ACT.  Why—because what we see shapes our view of the world and our place in it,’ the Committee Chair, Ms Leanne Castley MLA said.

The Chair noted, ‘for example—in Australia, statues and monuments recording the achievements of men outnumber those recording the achievements of women.¹ This is not limited to Australia but extends across the world.  We can make a difference at a local level—by looking at ways to improve this representation—not only as it relates to gender but also to individuals from diverse backgrounds and First Nation Leaders’.

As part of the Inquiry, ‘the Committee is inviting the community to nominate women and non-binary people who could be commemorated in the ACT, and other suitable nominations, and suggested location sites’, the Chair added.

‘The Committee encourages interested individuals and key stakeholder groups and organisations to make a written submission to this interesting inquiry’, Ms Castley MLA concluded.  The Committee expects to commence holding public hearings in the third quarter of the 2021–22 financial year.  Further information on the Inquiry is available from: https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/parliamentary-business/in-committees/committees/egee/inquiry-into-memorialisation-through-public-commemoration.

MEDIA INVITATION—Committee members [Ms Leanne Castley MLA—Chair; Ms Suzanne Orr MLA—Deputy Chair; and Mr Johnathan Davis MLA—Member] will be available for interview/comment: