HOW SEALINK’S MIRRABOOKA BECAME
THE BOAT WITH NO NAME!
The planning for the big public ‘champagne smashing opening’ event had gone on for months.
Every detail had been calculated to the enth degree.
Tickets had been made available to the general public, many of them to islanders.
All was in readiness for the official launch and the new Sealink SMB Islands vehicular ferry service, and the first of the new vessels, ‘Mirrabooka’.
In the days leading up to the Saturday February 22 opening, the ‘bomb’ dropped.
A call was received from a local aboriginal group.
They let it be known that they had not given, or were not giving, ‘official consent’ to the use of the word ‘Mirrabooka’.
We can only speculate as to the motives of the aboriginal group.
All we know is that there are many aboriginal names used right throughout Australia; in many contexts and uses, but particularly for the naming of ‘things’ likes towns, areas and, believe it or not, ships.
We are fairly certain that use of these names in the past did not require ‘permission’.
Just as we also know that ‘permission’ is not required for any ‘English’ name that might have been chosen.
“Permission’ is a relatively new interaction with some sections of the aboriginal community.
We also know that some island Aboriginals have been shocked by the action of the group, and many are not in favour of the ‘intervention’.
We also fail to understand in some respects, because giving vessels aboriginal names could be nothing but ‘complimentary’ to the aboriginal cause. The more aboriginal names the better, you would think!
Ironically, the name was chosen years ago when the two new vehicular craft were first being designed.
We believe that ‘permission’ was obtained at that point in time.
With all that said, Sealink’s actions since the crisis, have to be admired.
The company has not entered into any ‘negotiations’ whatsoever with the aboriginal group.
Almost immediately the name ‘Mirrabooka’ was removed from the naming areas on the vessel.
What happens next, we do not know.
Except the vessel has been ‘christened’ with the traditional champagne smashing by Redlands MP Rebecca Young, with the vessel about to startits ‘first runs’ providing a new and exciting service to our SMBIslands.
Sealink may come up with new names themselves, or they may engage the ‘community’ that are to use the exciting new vehicular ferries; perhaps to participate in a ‘naming’ competition of some form!
For our part, the Friendly Bay Islander knows how much effort had been put into this hectic time in the lead up to this ‘opening day’.
We had been working in closely with General Manager Ben Renwick and Sales and Marketing Manager Stevie Mills on a special front cover and two page feature in this edition of your Friendly Bay Islander.
It is about presenting the new vessel to our island community and the start of a new era in SMB island vehicular travel.
For Ben Renwick, it is the culmination of his career and a totally new direction for his company, Sealink. We think this episode will ‘strengthen’ Sealink’s ties to our islands.
We also think the upset is just a ‘hiccup’ and will be seen for what it is.
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