Queensland Arts Minister Overrides Board to Name Theatre Glasshouse, Ignoring Oodgeroo Noonuccal
Queensland's arts minister, John-Paul Langbroek, intervened to ensure a new theatre would not be named after the celebrated Aboriginal poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal, overriding the theatre's board and ignoring their strong recommendation. Documents obtained under right to information laws reveal that the minister was "set on" the name 'Glasshouse Theatre' as early as January 2025, months before a public vote was conducted.
Board's Strong Preference for Oodgeroo Ignored
In March 2024, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) board recommended seven names to the then Labor minister Leeanne Enoch, but singled out Oodgeroo Noonuccal as their preferred choice. They described her as "a profoundly influential storyteller and truth-teller" whose legacy endures as "a beacon of resilience and wisdom, with an unwavering commitment to justice and reconciliation."
However, after the Crisafulli government was elected in October 2024, the new arts minister, Langbroek, wrote to the QPAC board in February 2025 suggesting Glasshouse as the name. The minister formally signed off on this name on 3 February 2025—before any consultation with the board and months before opening it to a public vote where Glasshouse was declared the winner with 42% support.
Objections and Confusion Over Glasshouse Name
QPAC chief executive Rachel Healy objected to the Glasshouse name in an email response, arguing it would cause confusion since several other venues in Australia already use that name. She also noted that the QPAC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group had recommended naming it Oodgeroo, calling her "an inspirational national example of Queensland creative imagination and leadership."
Oodgeroo Noonuccal, born Kath Ruska in Brisbane in 1920, remains one of Australia's best-known poets. Her 1964 work, We Are Going, was the first published book of verse by an Aboriginal person and the first by an Aboriginal woman. She was also a prominent activist for Aboriginal rights.
Minister Claims Public Decision, But Oodgeroo Excluded from Poll
Minister Langbroek stated that the government "put the decision in the hands of Queenslanders," noting that more than 42% of people voted for Glasshouse in a public poll that included four options. However, Oodgeroo was not listed as an option on that poll, despite being the board's preferred name.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli defended the decision, saying the Glasshouse name "will make a remarkable ability to market it" and is "fitting of what that facility is." He added, "In years to come, when people say the Glasshouse theatre, they will know where it is, what it looks like and its key attributes."
Indigenous Community Reaction and Electoral Name Change
Oodgeroo's oldest grandson, Raymond Walker, described the decision as "disrespectful" and said it felt as though the state government did not want to name the theatre after an Aboriginal woman. "For it to be put up there [as a suggestion] and then not and then just ignored, I think that's just terrible," he said. "That's ignorance."
In a related development, the Liberal National Party (LNP) lobbied successfully to have the state electorate of Oodgeroo renamed to Cleveland in draft electoral boundaries released this week. The LNP argued that electorate names should "remain intuitive and geographically grounded," though they suggested keeping other named electorates like those honoring Captain James Cook.
Arts Community Criticism and Government Response
Jennifer Mills, chair of the Australian Society of Authors, said she wished she was "more shocked" by the decision, calling it "another instance of political interference in the arts, to downplay an Indigenous legacy that the community wanted to reflect."
Premier Crisafulli said the government is considering naming something else after Oodgeroo Noonuccal, acknowledging she is "significant and we should" honor her. The theatre opened to the public on 7 March, with its first event, The Last Ship, scheduled to open on 9 April.
A QPAC spokesperson stated that the "Queensland government determined the choice of the name Glasshouse Theatre following a public vote," though documents show the decision was made before that vote occurred.
