Busselton: What's in a name?

Community apathy towards the potential shire name change will be addressed at the upcoming community forum organised by the region’s residents group.

The Busselton and Districts Residents Association will host the forum, with support from the Busselton Shire Council, on March 8 at 7pm at the St Mary’s Family Centre.

Six BaDRA-selected speakers will have five minutes to primarily discuss their viewpoint on a potential name change for the shire and, if they wanted to, talk about their position on the adoption of a city status.

The forum was going to be held at the council chambers, but BaDRA members voted at its general meeting on Monday night to locate a more neutral location.

BaDRA president Jenny Sheehan said Vern Bussell was a confirmed speaker for the event, as well as the Geographe Bay Tourism Association’s marketing executive, Sharna Holben.

Mrs Sheehan said she had contacted four other people to represent the business, Dunsborough and youth communities.

The group originally decided to host the forum to stimulate discussion in the community about the possibility of a name change, which is being canvassed by the Busselton Shire Council, during consultation about the status of the municipality.

“There will be no votes, we will just urge people to put their viewpoint to the council and make a submission,” Mrs Sheehan said.

At the meeting on Monday, Mr Bussell pushed for the forum to be known as the “great name debate” while another member said he believed BaDRA would be “pushing it (the issue) uphill” due to the apathy in the community.

Former deputy chairman Laurie Uren told the group its original intention was to keep the council honest and there was something wrong with BaDRA if it did not support his view the council should not even consider a name change.

The group agreed to take a formal position on the issue after the forum and would prepare a formal submission for the council.

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