Project Status: Closed

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the proposal to co-name the suburb of Spence.

The proposal received overwhelming support from the community, as shown in the Listening Report. As such, the ACT Place Names Advisory Committee recommended the suburb be co-named.

Its recommendation was supported by the Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman MLA. The instrument formalising the co-naming of the suburb has been notified in the ACT Legislation Register.

After presentation in the ACT Legislative Assembly the instrument can be subject to a motion to amend or disallow for a period of six sitting days. Once six sitting days pass without a motion to amend or disallow, the ACT Government will commission a new sign for the suburb to explain the origin and significance of the name.

How you provided feedback

ACT Place Names sought input from the community about the proposal to co-name the suburb of Spence to commemorate Catherine Helen Spence. Feedback was collected through a quick poll, the feedback form, and via email at placenames@act.gov.au. Engagement closed on 1 December 2022. The Listening Report shows the findings of community engagement.

About Catherine Helen Spence

Catherine Helen Spence (1825–1910) was an author, teacher, journalist and social and political reformer. She was Australia's first female political candidate and a lifelong campaigner for electoral reform.

Spence's influence on suffrage culminated in South Australia being the first Australian colony to grant the vote to women, and the first in the world to give women the right to stand for parliament.

Spence suburb location

Spence is located adjacent to the suburbs of Fraser, Melba and Evatt. The suburb is to the south of Owen Dixon Drive and Kuringa Drive and also bounded by Alpen Street and Copland Drive.