By Mikayla van Loon
A proposed name change of Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood East announced by the Labor Government is garnering public outcry from both sides of the debate.
Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement he planned to upgrade the hospital facilities with a $1 billion investment on Sunday 18 September alongside the renaming as tribute to Queen Elizabeth II should Labor be re-elected in November.
A petition, started by Maroondah Action on Sunday, had reached over 3000 signatures by midday on Monday 19 September and now has a target of 10,000 after reaching 7500, with many sharing it on social media.
The word Maroondah derives from the Woiwurrung language meaning ‘leaf’, something Maroondah Council states on its website is representative of the area’s green environment.
As one of the only hospitals to hold an Aboriginal name, First Nations People have referenced the decision as a backwards step in both treaty and reconciliation.
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) CEO Jill Gallagher said with many landmarks, venue names and statues already honouring the British heritage, the name change is not needed.
“Whilst we are surrounded by British culture in this country – Aboriginal culture, and the Aboriginal way of life is almost invisible,” she said.
“Renaming the Maroondah hospital will see yet another piece of our culture erased and replaced by the culture of the invaders.
“Culture needs to be seen and understood as a protective and healing factor for Aboriginal people. Anything that takes away from our culture has detrimental impacts on the health and wellbeing of our people.”
First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Co-Chair Marcus Stewart said by renaming the hospital it would make it a “culturally unsafe place for our people”.
“This is a stark reminder of why Treaty is so critical, it can put an end to the hurtful platitudes of the powerful,” he said.
Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam introduced a motion into the Upper House on Tuesday 20 September urging the government to reverse its decision to rename Maroondah Hospital.
“It is a disrespectful decision that erases precious Woiwurrung language. This is not what Treaty looks like,” she said.
“If this Government is serious about Treaty it would listen to First Nations communities and act now, not later.”
Comments on social media have been both in support of Premier Andrews’ decision and against it, flooding Twitter and making the #Maroondah a trending topic.
“As a Maroondah resident, I want to just say a huge thank you Sam. The hospital does not need to be renamed, let alone to be after someone as polarising as she is,” Alyce Collett said on Twitter.
“Never in my life would I’ve picked the hospital name as a wedge issue. ‘Maroondah Hospital’ for me was always just a geographic marker, that it’s in the City of Maroondah and that the facility name was always up for grabs. So it’s been interesting to see the reaction,” another person posted to Twitter.
“I’m okay with the naming of the hospital after QEII, as long as the local area remains Maroondah and our city becomes formally known as Naarm,” another commenter wrote.
“Maroondah hospital is one my family has used. Spend the money for the best capital assets and provide the best staff. I couldn’t care less what you call it, just provide great medical care to all,” a fellow Twitter user said.
