‘Incredibly disrespectful’: MPs back calls to change racist station name

State and federal MPs have backed calls for the new Arden train station to be renamed, after The Age revealed its name comes from a racist colonist.

Greens state MP for Melbourne Ellen Sandell, whose electorate includes the station in North Melbourne, said she was shocked to learn of the “grotesque and racist” origins of the name.

Arden station, part of the new Metro Tunnel, was named for George Arden, who co-founded 19th-century newspaper the Port Phillip Gazette and publicly decried Indigenous people as violent, ignorant and promiscuous savages.

Sandell said the name Arden was completely inappropriate and the state government should give the station an Indigenous name.

Indigenous independent senator Lidia Thorpe agreed.

“Earlier this year we saw Premier Jacinta Allan front the Yoorrook Justice Commission and say she is committed to truth-telling and addressing historical wrongs. If she is serious about that, changing the name of this station is a simple and small thing she should do,” Thorpe said.

“The name should be chosen by First Peoples. To push ahead with this name would be incredibly disrespectful to First Peoples. In 2024, we should not be honouring a man who held such violent and racist views. Premier Allan needs to intervene.”

It should not be forgotten that “this city is built on stolen land”, Thorpe said.

Federal Greens member for Melbourne Adam Bandt, whose electorate also takes in Arden station, said we should listen to First Nations leaders and “choose not to commemorate racism”.

George Arden, who co-founded the Port Phillip Gazette in 1838, called for Indigenous children to be taken from their parents and for adults to be confined to reservations.

The views, published in an essay and newspaper report, are accessible in the online Trove archive.

Arden linked the Indigenous population to cannibalism, spoke of their barbarity of ideas and actions and said young Indigenous men should join the native police to become “civilized beings”.

The state government did not answer questions from The Age on Wednesday as to what research was done on Arden before the station was named, or whether the name would be changed.

Instead, a Metro Tunnel spokesperson said in a statement that Arden was the most popular nomination during the station-naming process and was consistent with other landmarks such as Arden Street and the Arden Street Oval.

Sandell, who is leader of the Victorian Greens, said on Thursday: “I was shocked to learn about the grotesque and racist views that George Arden published about our First Nations community.

“It’s completely inappropriate to celebrate his legacy by naming a train station after him.

“Our North Melbourne and Kensington community is inclusive and diverse, and the name of the station should reflect our values. “I think a far better option would be to look at First Nations place names, and to consult with our local community on a name that actually reflects our values.”

Bandt, the leader of the Australian Greens, said “who governments commemorate matters” and if the council name Moreland could be changed to Merri-bek (after revelations the name Moreland was linked to slavery) and the Batman electorate name be changed to Cooper (because colonist John Batman was involved in the massacre of Aboriginal people in Tasmania), “we can listen to First Nations leaders here too”.

Arden Street is also synonymous with North Melbourne Football Club, whose oval is on the street. The club refused to comment on the name when contacted by The Age.

The state government announced the station name Arden in 2020, to fit in with its proximity to Arden Street. It is one of five new stations set to open in 2025.

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