Name change one to Di for

It soon will be six years since the unfortunate death of Princess Diana and we in this country still do not have any type of lasting memorial to her.
Shortly after she was killed in that horrific car accident in Paris, I wrote in this column of the need for a lasting tribute to ensure she was not forgotten by future generations.
In that column, I reflected on events in late 1963 when US President John F Kennedy was assassinated.
At the time I was a senior adviser on the personal staff of then Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies.
I tried my best to persuade the PM to have a permanent memorial to Kennedy. In fact, as soon as I heard news of JFK's death, I rang Menzies and suggested that an appropriate tribute would be for the name of Canberra to be changed to "Camelot".
I well remember that the long silence at the other end of the phone indicated that my idea had taken the PM's breath away. However, weeks later when I raised the issue with the PM he assured me Cabinet had considered it fully but had decided on some other form of tribute.
But back to Princess Diana. Readers would well remember the eulogy given by her brother Earl Spencer in which he openly discussed the late Princess Diana's eating disorders.
I well remember watching the funeral service on television and listening to Earl Spencer. It was then that an idea for a fitting memorial suddenly dawned on me - one of stunning simplicity and elegance.
Here in Brisbane we have the perfect opportunity to remember Diana in a meaningful way, and one which would gain national and international recognition.
We just need to change the name of our south-eastern riverside suburb of Bulimba to Bulimia.
It could be done with a minimum of expense and disruption - after all it is just one letter being substituted.
It would provide a lasting memorial that triggered in people's minds thoughts about Princess Diana, but also gave future generations an idea of the type of complex and fragile individual she was.
As I wrote of the concept six years ago: "It would be a thought-provoking move that would make other ideas such as statues, fountains or parks pale by comparison. It is certainly food for thought."
Sadly, since that time nothing has happened and my idea has languished.
A few years ago at a public function I raised it directly with former Brisbane Lord Mayor Jim Soorley. His reaction was similar to that of Menzies, although the concept was obviously so powerful that Mr Soorley involuntarily let fly with several expletives which I daren't print here.
So now I am appealing to readers who support my idea to start lobbying current Lord Mayor Tim Quinn and his Liberal opponent Mr Campbell Newman.
I have never taken sides in political contests, and I would hope both men would see the value of including a commitment to such a memorial in their respective civic policies for the March 2004 Brisbane City Council election.

Rufus Badinage MBE, now retired, is one of Australia's leading experts on politics and public administration having worked as a senior bureaucrat for various state and federal governments.