The Victorian Liberals and Nationals have reaffirmed their support for the naming of Guru Nanak Lake in Berwick Springs, saying they stand with the Sikh community and oppose any attempt to overturn the name. The statement follows heated exchanges in Parliament on 15 October and comments from Premier Jacinta Allan, who accused the Opposition of fuelling division over the issue.
“The Victorian Liberals and Nationals support the renaming of Berwick Springs Lake to Guru Nanak Lake and stand with the Sikh community on this important issue,” the party said in a joint statement. “The party’s position was to support the Sikh community and oppose the take note petition debate to overturn the name change.”
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs Evan Mulholland said during the debate that while the government had acknowledged the distress caused to Sikh Victorians, its own actions had added to that harm. “Minister Stitt claimed this issue has caused great distress, and we hear that,” he said. “However, the Labor Party has added to that distress by sharing preprepared social media images throughout that community, using the name of the revered Guru Nanak Dev Ji, to gain political mileage for the Labor Party.”
He added that by politicising the issue, “the government is wielding multicultural communities for political gain, while simultaneously causing distress and spreading it on social media.”
The Opposition’s statement said the government’s lack of “genuine community consultation” had caused frustration across communities but reaffirmed that the party would continue an open dialogue with Sikh Victorians. “The Liberal Party allows its members to move petitions on behalf of their community, and the party will continue to have an open dialogue and meaningful relationship with the Sikh community,” it said.
Premier Jacinta Allan, in a statement released after the debate, accused the Liberal Party of hypocrisy and division. “The Victorian Liberals have split on the floor of Parliament today over the name of a lake,” she said. “Last year, we honoured Sikh communities by naming a lake in Melbourne’s southeast after Guru Nanak. Brad Battin personally campaigned against it – hosting a notorious rally and circulating a hurtful petition that divided the community and hurt Sikh Victorians.”
“Today, under huge pressure from the community, the flip-flopping Liberals have voted against their own petition that called for Guru Nanak Lake to be cancelled,” she said. “It just goes to show – if division is what you’re about, then division is what you’ll get.”
Allan added that Sikh communities were “still healing from the pain of what they were put through last year” and reaffirmed her government’s commitment to standing with them. “I’m proud of my friendship with Sikhs and I’ll stand with them every day – not just when it’s convenient,” she said.
The Liberals and Nationals also referenced their record of supporting multicultural communities, citing their condemnation of the “March for Australia” rally earlier this year, where organisers were accused of promoting anti-Indian sentiment. “The party has consistently stated there is no place for division and hate in Victoria and stands with all multicultural and multi-faith Victorians,” the statement said.
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