Decision details

Moved by Councillor Gannon, seconded by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) - 

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         public monuments, memorials and artworks play an important part of the historical and civic record of Australia’s public institutions and constitutional history;

(ii)        Queen Elizabeth II served as Australia’s Head of State for over 70 years and was the longest-reigning sovereign in Australia’s history; and

(iii)      numerous public sites across Sydney commemorate the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Within the City of Sydney, Queen Elizabeth II is commemorated in both the public domain and civic buildings, including with:

(a)       official plaques marking openings on royal visits, including of NSW Parliament House, Sydney Opera House, the Darling Harbour precinct, the State Library of NSW, the Northcott and Waterloo public housing estates, and trees planted at Macquarie Place to mark the beginning of the Remembrance Driveway;

(b)       the prominent display of her Royal Cypher (EIIR) at Government House and other civic buildings, serving as a permanent record of the constitutional history of New South Wales; and

(c)       a sealed handwritten letter addressed to the Lord Mayor of Sydney and all Sydneysiders stored in a time capsule in the QVB to be opened in the year 2085.

(iv)      the NSW Government have committed to name a public square in honour of Queen Elizabeth II as part of the revitalisation of the Macquarie Street East Precinct;

(B)      Council further note:

(i)         the ongoing need to rebalance recognition in the public domain. Currently, over 2 dozen statues around the city centre commemorating colonial figures, while First Nations people, non-royal women, and cultural migrant communities remain significantly under-represented;

(ii)        the City’s commitment to recognise and acknowledge the history, heritage and living culture of First Nations people in the public domain through the Eora Journey; and

(iii)      Council’s commitments and ongoing work to achieve balanced representation and greater diversity in the public domain, including:

(a)       the Lord Mayor’s August 2022 minute to advance truth telling in new and imaginative approaches in the public domain and by reviewing the City’s symbols and emblems;

(b)       Councillor Scott’s March 2023 motion to support increased equality of gender, First Nations and cultural diversity within the public domain; and

(c)       Councillor Weldon’s October 2023 motion to review colonial statues and introduce alternate plaques, signage and other additions to ensure that the representation of these figures is accurate and incorporates contemporary and First Nations perspectives; and

(C)      the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Premier seeking:

(i)         an update on the commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II as part of the revitalisation of the Macquarie Street East Precinct; and

(ii)        a commitment from the NSW Government to work with the City of Sydney to achieve balanced representation and greater diversity within the public domain.

The motion, as varied by consent, was carried unanimously.

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