Australia’s former Prime Minister Tony Abbott sits on stage during a discussion with Britain’s main opposition Conservative Party Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel and journalist Trevor Phillips (unseen) on stage for a discussion on the third day of the annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester, north-west England, on Oct. 7, 2025. Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has criticised a proposal to rename the federal electorate of Franklin after Aboriginal leader Tongerlongeter, saying the change was an example of “change-by-stealth.”
The proposal, which is also opposed by the Labor and Liberal parties, forms part of Tasmania’s federal electoral redistribution.
The electorate is currently named after Sir John Franklin, the former Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) and a British polar explorer.
“Tongerlongeter is recognised by historians as one of the most significant Aboriginal leaders in Tasmania during the early period of British colonisation,” the AEC wrote.
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“Historians regard the scale and effectiveness of Aboriginal resistance under leaders such as Tongerlongeter as a significant factor in major colonial government responses, including the declaration of martial law in 1828 and the Black Line campaign in 1830.”
The proposal was released on July 15, with the AEC allowing for objections or alternative names to be submitted by July 21.
Former Liberal Prime Minister Abbott described the move as “officialdom’s rush to make key changes without meaningful public input.”
“Better that than posthumously recruiting him into the culture wars that are dividing and demoralising our nation.”
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Both the Liberal Party and the Australian Labor Party lodged submissions opposing the proposed renaming.
“A name change should not be pursued simply because boundaries have shifted,” the submission said, adding that the decision goes against the provisions laid down by AEC itself.
The electorate’s sitting member, Labor’s Julie Collins, has also opposed the proposal.
“I support the submission that the Labor Party made to the redistribution consultation process, including about a possible name change,” she told AAP.
