Lower Khartoum Place to be renamed for Women's Suffrage

A section of an inner city space in Auckland is being renamed to acknowledge the location of the Women's Suffrage Centenary Memorial.

The Waitemata Local Board voted to change the name of the lower section of Khartoum Place in a special meeting this week.

It will now be called Te Ha o Hine Place, in recognition of the struggle New Zealand Suffragists faced until 1893.

The board and iwi partners will unveil the new name on Suffrage Day, September 19.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei gifted the name, which is derived from the whakatauki (proverb) 'Me aro koe ki te Hā o Hine-ahu-one' and translates to 'pay heed to the dignity of women'.

The board and the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women decided it was a fitting sentiment.

Since opening a refreshed Khartoum Place in September 2014, the board began looking more seriously at changing the name of the lower section, an area that was being informally referred to as "Suffrage Place" due to the location next to the Suffrage Memorial and the space being used for annual Women's Day and Suffrage Day events.

In April 2016 the local board consulted with iwi, the National Council of Women, local businesses, residents and the wider public to ascertain the level of support for a name change and a preference should they support a change.

The majority of submitters supported a name change and for the options for consideration to include; Te Ha o Hine, Suffrage Place and Kate Sheppard Place.