Wagga Wagga Council formally altered the name of the Michael Slater Oval after the dishonoured Australian cricket icon was stripped of the honour.
In the wake of the former cricket player's precipitous fall from favour, the council has been urged to rename the ground.
Slater, 54, is accused of 19 crimes that are said to have happened on Queensland's Sunshine Coast between April 12 and December 5, 2023.
He is accused of committing domestic violence offences such as breaking into a home with the intent to trespass, unlawful stalking or intimidation, common assault, assault resulting in bodily harm, and strangling or suffocating.
In addition, Slater—a former TV pundit—is accused of ten charges of violating a domestic violence order and of violating bail.
When asked to vote on a name change, Wagga Wagga Council was divided, with 4 votes in favour of the change.
Several council members contended that the past cricket player's achievements on the field and local impact had to be taken into account.
Slater had a "diagnosed medical mental health issue," according to Councillor Rod Kendall, who also said that renaming the oval would be ineffective.
Meanwhile, fellow councillor Jenny McKinnon has advocated for a name change for the oval.
“I’ve urged the council to change the name of this oval as a matter of urgency. Glad to see that someone (maybe Council?) has taken some stealth action,” McKinnon said earlier this month after sharing a photo of Slater's name being painted over on a sign next to the oval.
The council has stated that a new name for the oval will be put up for "public exhibition" in a few days.
World Cup champions Kate and Alex Blackwell, Olympic gold medallist Alicia Quirk in rugby sevens, and former Matildas star Sally Shippard are among the contenders to succeed Slater.
“Slater's position in the city's sporting Hall of Fame is not under threat,“ Mayor Dallas Tout said.
The Maroochydore Magistrates Court denied the former batter bail last month, so he is still detained.
On Friday, May 31, his case is set to be discussed in the same court, and his attorneys are anticipated to refute the claims of physical abuse.