Queensland Overrides Recommendation to Name New Theatre After Iconic Poet
Queensland government minister intervenes to prevent new theatre from being named after Aboriginal poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal, ignoring board's recommendation.
Queensland's arts minister has overridden a recommendation from the Queensland Performing Arts Centre board to name a new theatre after renowned Aboriginal poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal. Documents obtained under right to information laws reveal the board's preferred name for the 2024 theatre was Oodgeroo, but this was not one of the four options put to public vote by the LNP government.
This decision comes as the state's redistribution commission has also proposed stripping Oodgeroo's name from a state electorate, a move lobbied for by the LNP. The late artist's name is set to be replaced with a geographical label, further erasing her significant legacy and contributions to Australian literature and activism.
