Bathurst council to seek support for Frontier Wars bicentenary plans

Council is planning to hold commemoration events in 2024 that acknowledge what occurred.

At the July 20 ordinary meeting, councillors resolved to submit the following motion to the Local Government NSW annual conference: "That LGNSW and its member councils recognise the fact of Australia's Frontier Wars which occurred during the British colonisation of Australia."

The resolution came about from a joint notice of motion from councillors Jess Jennings and Kirralee Burke.

"Myself, Jess, and I guess the whole council as a whole just want to see the recognition of 2024 done well, in a sensitive and collaborative way," Cr Burke said.

"This will hopefully assist in putting it on the NSW state radar for wider recognition and support coming up to 2024."

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The motion was not unanimously adopted though, with councillors Ian North and Warren Aubin voting against it out of concern that the motion as written was lacking detail.

They were particularly concerned about whether or not the local Aboriginal community's view, as a whole, would be represented at the conference.

"I as a councillor have no problem, but I want to understand, what are we going to say, what is our motion going to be? I think any council out there would acknowledge the Frontier Wars. It is part of our history, a history that we've got to understand, and it helps us move forward to make sure we do things right," Cr North said.

"But I want to make very clear, to make sure the groups are in a room, and in a room together, talking together, to make sure we follow what they would like to see.

"... This must be driven, not by council, we support our Aboriginal community as a whole to make sure it is done right."

Similarly, Cr Aubin said, "I find this a very, very sensitive subject. If all Aboriginal groups aren't on board with what we are doing here, we're in for a bit of a slapping. There's a lot of hurt out there, there's a lot of wounds to be opened up if this goes the wrong way."

Councillors who supported taking the motion to the conference said the motion itself was very narrow and was for the purpose of getting broader support.

Deputy mayor Ben Fry stressed that the details for the events in 2024 would be determined in a separate council working party.

Council's general manager, David Sherley, also noted that taking the motion to the conference could lead to financial support for any events held in 2024 to acknowledge the bicentenary.

"The notice of motion, from my interpretation, is that it is to get broader recognition of the fact that the Frontier Wars happened," he said.

"But, in fact, it will assist us as part of what we do with 2024, because broader recognition will assist us in raising awareness amongst people ... and hopefully attract some money."

The LGNSW annual conference will be held at the end of October in the Hunter Valley.

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