Benjamin Millar
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A bid to potentially change the name of City of Melton has been dashed before getting off the ground after a council vote to explore the idea was narrowly defeated on the grounds it was “divisive”.
Cambridge ward councillor Steven Abboushi raised a motion at the recent council meeting, calling for a report on a potential name change to the City of Melton, to take into account rapid change and development throughout the municipality.
Cr Abboushi’s motion sought for the council to draw up appropriate guidelines for residents to be consulted on the idea and details of the likely costs.
The motion was backed by councillors Goran Kesic, Kathy Majdlik and Lara Carli, but voted down 5-4 after being opposed by councillors Sophie Ramsey, Moira Deeming, Ashleigh Vandenberg, Julie Shannon and Bob Turner.
Cr Carli said she seconded the motion because it had been more than a decade since a 2010 survey found two thirds of almost 700 respondents supported leaving the name as “Melton”.
“As a council we are growing by 7000 residents a year and I don’t see any reason why a report coming back to council just to look at this and to look at options again after 11 years would be an issue,” she said.
Cr Ramsay said the municipality’s name only comes to people’s attention when they receive their rates notice.
“At the end of the day it would be hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars, and I just think as a council we have more pressing issues than a name.”
Cr Turner said the rapid growth of the area’s population was bringing the centre of the municipality closer to the Melton township.
“In the year 2010 when it happened last time, there was definitely a bigger percentage of the population growing in the east than there is now,” he said.
“I just don’t see that we need this division created through the community… last time it was lost quite convincingly and I just can’t see the point of spending all this money for the same to happen again.”
Cr Shannon said she wanted to hear both sides of the debate, but wasn’t convinced a name change was needed.
“I actually can’t understand why this would be something people would even consider except that they are embarrassed or ashamed of being part of the City of Melton.”
Cr Abboushi said he brought the motion forward in response to residents raising their concerns with him about the Melton name.
“I don’t expect the residents in the township to be necessarily in favour of this, I’m simply acknowledging and representing those that are in the eastern corridor,” he said.
“I’m simply asking for a report, I refute anyone who says this is divisive.”
