Community & places · Orange City Council
Orange council asks staff to address gender imbalance in future place names
A review and expansion of the names register will support proposed changes to commemorative naming across parks, reserves, sporting facilities and buildings.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Orange City Council has asked staff to develop an approach to address an identified gender imbalance in future commemorative names for council places and assets, including parks, reserves, sporting facilities and buildings.
The resolution, passed 7-4 at the council’s 6 October meeting, also requires the existing names register to be reviewed and expanded. The proposed approach will be reported back to councillors. No place was renamed and no new name was approved.
The resolution followed a report titled “Audit of Names within the Orange Local Government Area”. The public minutes record that councillors noted the audit, but do not include its underlying figures or explain which existing names were counted.
Cr K Duffy and Cr G Judge successfully moved for the item to be heard and voted on in separate parts. The substantive resolution was supported by Mayor T Mileto, Cr J Stedman, Cr D Mallard, Cr M McDonell, Cr G Power, Cr M Ruddy and Cr J Whitton. Cr K Duffy, Cr T Greenhalgh, Cr G Judge and Cr F Kinghorne voted against it, while Cr S Peterson was absent.
The immediate task is to develop the naming approach and expand the register. The minutes do not specify when the report will return, or whether it will propose targets, quotas or other measures for future names.
What deserves a closer look
The resolution concerns future naming work and a proposed approach, not the approval of a particular name or the renaming of an existing place.
The minutes do not state when the proposed approach will return to council or whether it will contain targets or quotas.
Questions for follow-up reporting
When will staff report the proposed commemorative-naming approach back to council?
What figures and categories were included in the audit of names within the Orange Local Government Area?
Will the proposed approach include targets, quotas or other measures for addressing the identified gender imbalance?
What happens next
Progress work addressing the identified gender imbalance in future commemorative naming.
Review and expand the existing names register.
Report the proposed approach back to council.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
Council asked staff to address an identified gender imbalance in future commemorative naming and to review and expand the names register.
For: Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr J Stedman (Deputy Mayor), Cr K Duffy, Cr T Greenhalgh, Cr G Judge, Cr F Kinghorne, Cr D Mallard, Cr M McDonell, Cr G Power, Cr M Ruddy, Cr J Whitton Against: Nil Absent: Cr S Peterson RESOLVED - 26/560 Cr M Ruddy/Cr M McDonell 3 That Council request that staff progress work to address the identified gender imbalance in future commemorative naming of Council places and assets, including parks, reserves, sporting facilities, buildings and other appropriate public places, and review and expand the existing names register to support this work, with the proposed approach to be reported back to Council.
Resolution 26/560
Open original minutes ↗The item was heard and voted on in separate parts, and the procedural amendment passed 7-4.
THE MOTION ON BEING PUT WAS CARRIED. RESOLVED - 26/558 Cr K Duffy/Cr G Judge 1 That Council determine that this item be heard and voted on in seriatim. For: Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr K Duffy, Cr T Greenhalgh, Cr G Judge, Cr F Kinghorne, Cr D Mallard, Cr J Whitton Against: Cr J Stedman (Deputy Mayor), Cr M McDonell, Cr G Power, Cr M Ruddy Absent: Cr S Peterson RESOLVED - 26/559 Cr M Ruddy/Cr J Stedman 2 That Council note the report on the Audit of Names within the Orange Local Government Area.
Resolution 26/558
Open original minutes ↗The substantive resolution passed 7-4, with Cr S Peterson absent.
For: Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr J Stedman (Deputy Mayor), Cr D Mallard, Cr M McDonell, Cr G Power, Cr M Ruddy, Cr J Whitton Against: Cr K Duffy, Cr T Greenhalgh, Cr G Judge, Cr F Kinghorne Absent: Cr S Peterson Cr McDonell asked why there are duplicate names in the table.
Resolution 26/560 vote
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the public minutes of Orange City Council’s ordinary meeting held on 6 October 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Council resolved on 6 October 2026 to progress work addressing an identified gender imbalance in future commemorative naming.
- The names register will be reviewed and expanded, with a proposed approach to return to council.
- The substantive resolution passed 7-4, with Cr S Peterson absent.
- No particular place was renamed and no new commemorative name was approved.
- The minutes do not provide the audit’s underlying figures, a target or a timeframe for the work.
Why it matters
- The work could influence future names for Orange council parks, reserves, sporting facilities, buildings and other public places, but no specific name or location has yet been selected.