THERE’S just a week left to vote for your preferred name for the $27.2 million Cowes Cultural and Community Centre.

Should it be one of the four names proposed by the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC) including:

• Barmewoon Meaning: Only My Strength
• Mogarmarlarly Murk Meaning: Lead Me
• Berninneit Meaning: Gather Together
• Kummargee Meaning: Rise Up.

Or should it be something else, as proposed by the Phillip Island Progress Association’s ‘Island Voice’ group survey.

While the Bass Coast Shire Council’s community survey closes on its Engage Bass Coast website next Monday, June 19, Island Voice has already published the results of its own survey where it is claimed the more obvious name of 'Phillip Island Cultural Centre' came out as clear winner with 34% of the votes but with Millowl/Phillip Island Cultural Centre as second preference with 20.6% of the votes.

Millowl, according to the shire’s website, is the Bunurong name for Phillip Island.

“It is part of the country recognised as being the traditional land and waters of the Bunurong People.”

Island Voice has thanked everyone for their responses to the survey, but officials of the group claim the shire won’t talk to them about it.

“We had 373 responses and as we asked everyone to also contribute to the BCSC response, we hope this means that they got a great response as well,” said Peter McMahon, Acting Secretary of the Phillip Island Progress Association.

“As can be seen from the data, there was a clear preference for 'Phillip Island Cultural Centre' (34%) with Millowl/Phillip Island Cultural Centre as second preference (20.6%).

“Use of the local language name for Phillip Island, Millowl, in the name was preferred to any of the four Aboriginal language options provided by the Council. This was further emphasized by a number of respondents suggesting ‘Millowl Cultural Centre’ in the ‘other’ suggestions, increasing the proportion of responses interested in using this word from the local Boonwurrung language to 22.5%.”

Other options received the following votes in the Island Voice survey: Berninneit 16.6%, Cowes Cultural Centre 14.75%, Kummargee 5.34% and Mogarmarlarly Murk 0.8%.

The Island Voice group said that almost 80% of those who voted were either a permanent resident of the Island (75.1%) or the owner of a local business (3.7%).

Boon Wurrung language challenge

Controversially, the group has also raised the allegation that the use of local Boon Wurrung language names for Phillip Island landmarks and facilities might ultimately be challenged.

“Importantly, there were a number of comments made by participants stating that the indigenous names provided to BCSC have no meaning in the local indigenous language.

“This has been confirmed by Auntie Faye, a linguistics expert for the Boonwurrung people, who stated that she “has no idea what language was used to come up with Council’s words”.

“Whilst these names were gifted by the currently Recognized Aboriginal Party, there is a Federal Court case involving a possible change in land title that includes Phillip Island. This would mean that the four names offered by BCSC may end up having no meaning to our local First Nations people i.e. they would be literally meaningless as a component of reconciliation.

“So, Island Voice asks that Council wait until the Federal Court case is decided and restarts the naming process with a full and transparent engagement with the entire community.

“If Council insists on moving forward with naming the building now, we ask that Council respect the will of the Community and utilises either the ‘Phillip Island Cultural Centre’ or the ‘Millowl/Phillip Island Cultural Centre’, rather than having to rename it at a later stage if the land title challenge is upheld by the Federal Court.”

At a recent council meeting, however, Cr David Rooks said it wasn’t just about how locals see the Island.

“I think about the 3 million visitors that visit Phillip Island each year and I think about how those visitors will see our island and its people,” said Cr Rooks.

“Places like Uluru and Kata Tjuta are names that represent our first peoples. By naming our new cultural centre with one of four names offered by the Bunurong, our community demonstrates its efforts towards an ongoing respectful relationship with First Nations people.”