“Lets start taking more down”: Nala Mansell calls for further colonial moment removals following toppling of Crowther statue

Callan Morse Published May 22, 2024 at 7.00am (AWST)

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Nala Mansell says more colonial-era monuments should be removed following last week's toppling of Hobart's William Crowther statue. (Image: Nikki Davis-Jones)

A prominent member of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community has called for the removal of more colonial statues while saying a recently vandalised monument in Tasmania's south should be left "the way it is".

The perspective of Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre campaign manager, Nala Mansell, comes almost a week after the statue of William Crowther was cut from its plinth and left face down in Hobart's Franklin Square.

After the Hobart City Council decided to leave the plinth in place after removing the bronze statue on Wednesday, Ms Mansell, a proud Pakana woman said the statue's foundation - which was emblazoned with "WHAT GOES AROUND" and "DECOLONIZE" in red spray paint - should be left as a reminder of the impact British colonisation had on Tasmanian Aboriginal peoples.

"I think it would be perfectly symbolic to leave it the way it is," she said, as reported by the The Mercury.

Ms Mansell went further, suggesting statues of other colonial figures should be removed while calling for more recognition of First Nations peoples.

"The public are starting to rethink these types of statues, rethink what it means to celebrate these types of people and now the Hobart City Council and other councils have a perfect opportunity to rethink their monuments and statues, lets start taking more down," she said.

"We've seen right around the world, statues of colonisers and mutilators being torn down.

"Why not start introducing some sort of monuments to show Aborigines have always been in this country and are still here today."

*The statue was found toppled the day the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal were scheduled to hand down a decision into the appeal of its removal. (Image: Kate Doyle)*

Crowther, a colonial-era surgeon and former premier of Tasmania is despised by many for the 1869 mutilation of Tasmanian Aboriginal man's corpse.

History suggests after breaking into a Hobart morgue, Crowther stole William Lanne's head, replacing it with that of another before sending it to the Royal College of Surgeons in London.

Although the vandalisation of the Crowther statue was condemned many including the Hobart City Council - the body which voted for the statue's removal in 2022 - and politicians including Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson, its demise was celebrated by members and supporters of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community.

"I'm glad to see someone's taken it down," Ms Mansell said following the statue's toppling, via The Mercury.

"Today is a great day for Tasmanian Aboriginal people, today is a great day for the memory of William Lanne, whose body was mutilated by this man for his race.

"We've waited more than 135 years for this statue to be removed, it should never have been put up in the first place."

The Hobart City Council voted to remove the statue in 2022, a decision appealed to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT) by former Hobart City councillor Jeff Briscoe, Anne Burleigh and Chris Merridew.

*The statue's plinth were graffitied with phrases 'WHAT GOES AROUND' and 'DECOLONISE'. (Image: Luke Bowden/ABC)*

The appeal's findings were handed down on Wednesday morning following the statue's toppling, with TASCAT president Malcolm Schyvens confirming a sign would replace the statue.

"The proposal will change the monument and its appearance by removal of the statue and placement of an adjacent sign," Mr Schyvens said, according to The Mercury.

"That may be regarded as having some negative outcome historically, visually and aesthetically, but there are also positive resulting impacts.

"An understanding of the change will be fostered through the appropriately sited and scale temporary signage, which is intended to be replaced in time with permanent signage."

Mr Briscoe labelling the treatment of the statue "appalling".

"That is sheer vandalism of activists who don't believe in the rule of law," he said.

"It's almost anarchy in a way. This destruction has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth."

*Council workers removed the statue following its toppling last week. (Image: Nikki Davis-Jones)*

Mr Briscoe called for the statue to be cared for following its downing.

"We are urging the HCC (Hobart City Council) to restore the statue and when they put it in storage that they repair the statue," he said.

"The heritage council conditions on the permit was that it be stored in a safe place that can be accessed by the public.

"The council has no idea where the storage will be, I believe the TMAG (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery) have said no.

In condemning the vandalism of the statue, Hobart Lord Mayor, Anna Reynolds said the council intend to restore both the statue and its plinth.

"At the moment the statue is being kept in a safe place and we will continue to care for it," She said.

"Our goal will be to reunite the feet with the rest of the statue, and certainly care for it and preserve it in a respectful manner."

"We have approval for temporary signage which will tell the story about the project so far and the planning decision the heritage advice, the deeper history of this time."