INTRO: Major decisions loom over the Greater Dandenong over issues snowballing into 2026 such as the Thomas Street precinct naming debate, Dandenong Hospital maternity services cuts, community safety concerns around Dandenong Creek after a mother and son drowned and Dandenong Market’s Precinct plan and its dispute with current traders.
THOMAS STREET
After a furious debate, community groups have kept a pensive silence while awaiting an outcome on the Thomas Street precinct’s future marketing nickname (formerly known as Afghan Bazaar).
Social cohesion workshops have rolled out in December as part of a two-part consultation, prior to a separate Greater Dandenong Council-run consultation on the Thomas Street precinct name.
The community should expect the second phase of the solution to be rolled out in 2026, with a shortlist of names and community feedback before the council reaches a final decision, as previously reported by Star Journal.
There are no details on the number of participants in the workshops or the dialogue and how the shortlisted names will be chosen.
This issue came to light earlier in the year as a Hazara group claimed the term ‘Afghan’ from the precinct marketing name Afghan Bazaar is a synonym of ‘Pashtun’ which is the name of the ruling ethnic group and a term imposed on other ethnic groups, especially Hazaras.
The group pushing for an alternative name Little Bamiyan instead.
The Little Bamiyan petition filed at the City of Greater Dandenong saw a major pushback from Afghan groups, who argued the name change was “self-serving” “divisive” and “dangerous” in a collective letter to the Greater Dandenong Council.
It argues the term ‘Afghan’ is a nationality not an ethnic identity, as claimed by the Hazara petitioners.
The issue blew all over social media attracting international coverage from communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other areas, who published their own video pieces or posts in support or against the name change.
With all its pros and cons, the issue quickly spiralled online – some users were quick to post hateful comments along with their views. Both groups tried to maintain peace, condemned hateful comments and educated the community about refraining from such acts whilst maintaining their views on the sensitive issue.
City of Greater Dandenong became the centre of attention globally and nationally as the ABC’s 7.30 program also featured the heated debate as part of their coverage, interviewing locals like Little-Bamiyan advocate Barat Batoor, name-change opponent Rokhan Akbar, Greater Dandenong’s strategy and corporate services director Dr Marjan Hajjari and Dandenong Star Journal reporter Sahar Foladi.
