Australia’s ‘pioneer’ colonists profited from slavery. That truth must be acknowledged | Paul Daley
The veil is slowly being lifted on the forced or coerced migration – ‘blackbirding’ – of Pacific Islanders for labour What’s in a name? If that name happens to be Townsville, the coastal north-east Queensland city, the answer is: slavery. While he scarcely went to the place that still bears his name, Robert Towns, the 19th century British-born Australian colonist, has largely been warmly and…
The untold story of Australia's "pioneer" colonists, who profited from the enslavement of Pacific Islanders, is finally beginning to surface. Robert Towns, the British-born Australian colonist after whom Townsville is named, has long been celebrated as a benevolent merchant and entrepreneur. However, his role in the forced migration, known as "blackbirding," of approximately 62,000 Pacific Islanders to Australia between 1860 and 1906, is now coming to light.
These islanders were primarily men and boys who were coerced into working in Australia's sugar industry under inhumane conditions, with 15,000 dying in the process. Towns' involvement in this brutal trade was well-known during the unveiling of his statue in Townsville in 2005, and the name of another Queensland city, John Mackay, was also linked to blackbirding.
While some argue against renaming cities or removing statues dedicated to these colonists, it is crucial that these monuments serve as a reminder of the true history, including the atrocities committed by figures like Towns. The town of Townsville should consider adding a plaque to the statue of Towns, acknowledging the terrible truth about the blackbirding trade and the role played by its namesake.
Similarly, the sites related to Towns and other blackbirders, such as the old sugar wharves in Sydney, should be used to honor the tens of thousands of Pacific Islanders who were kidnapped and forced to work under appalling conditions, their labor generating immense wealth for colonial enterprises.
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