The 'Nigger' Brown Stand debate

McDonald was quoted in the paper as saying that he would ensure the famous sportsman was honoured with his nickname on a statue or plaque, at the oval, after the stand was demolished.

I also knew the action of my compensation bid would rile the locals, as they hate the very notion that I would benefit financially from my legal challenge against McDonald - who is also a former international rugby league representative and Chairman of the National Rugby League Association.

I also sent copies of my ADCQ application to my media contacts so they could add to their news flashes on the ongoing controversy. It’s not hard getting valuable space in the national carriers as they know their readership also have a healthy appetite of the saga that had been played out before them for the better part of nine years.

Back in Toowoomba on the day after I received the surprise call from a local journalist and subsequent tame article favouring John McDonald for daring to pre-empt the replacement statue or plaque I was totally knocked speechless when a journalist from The Courier-Mail rang me with the news from the Sports Minister.

Judy Spence, Queensland Sports Minister, who has control over the sportsground complex where the stadium stands, made a public statement only moments earlier announcing that there would be no reference to the offending word on any structure at the venue.

And, if that wasn’t news enough, I was further thrilled to hear reference in the statement that the Minister had confirmed discussion with McDonald had taken place and that he was in agreement of this new position. 

Even the newly elected mayor of Toowoomba, Peter Taylor, who only announced recently that he supported the retention of the name, joined in on the latest disclosure saying the “time was now right to move on”.

I knew it wasn’t April Fool’s day and the circus wasn’t in town but I couldn’t quite work out why all of a sudden I was hearing of our fearless civic leaders doing back flips left, right and centre. They say “a week’s a long time in politics” but in this latest saga on the controversial stand we were only into day two and the fireworks were going off.

And yes, the letters to the editor, SMS and angry messages on my phone have grown in volume by the day as the news began to sink in that I had claimed victory.

I recalled being told by civic leaders on numerous occasions during my campaign that I was a sore loser and ought to move on with my life after losing case after case in the domestic courts. Now the shoe’s on the other foot and moving on is something I don’t believe this community will do for some time yet.

So what has the past nine years taught me?

Well to say my stand on this case was a defining moment in my life would be an understatement. The campaign shook me out of my lethargy as I was basically cruising in life; content to spend time back in the town where all my family reside, with my wife, Rhonda, and young children, Stephen junior and Jayde aged seven and four respectively, maintaining a low profile and enjoying the peaceful life on the Darling Downs.