Hobart divided over statue of man who stole Indigenous skull, as council votes on removal

Lanne was a well-known whaler who had been exiled as a child to Wybalenna settlement on Flinders Island. He was the only member of his family to survive the exile and became an advocate for his displaced Tasmanian Aboriginal community.

Crowther was suspended from his role as honorary medical officer at the Hobart general hospital as a result of his actions, but within weeks he held the Hobart seat in the legislative council, and nine years later he became premier of Tasmania.

An online survey asked respondents whether the statue should be wholly removed, partially removed, added to in some way, or left as is. The resulting report proposed the removal of the statue but recommended leaving its sandstone plinth, currently inscribed with praise for Crowther, in situ for heritage reasons.

The committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposal, which also includes an interpretive response to the statue site with the broader story of Crowther and Lanne. The statue would most likely be temporarily housed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

The council will vote on the recommendations at its general meeting on Monday from 5pm. The meeting is open to the public and will be broadcast live on YouTube.