Progressive governor of SA or 'ruthless' manipulator? Who was Grey?

The legacy of Sir George Grey, a former governor of South Australia and colonial administrator in New Zealand, is being re-examined as a proposal emerges to rename the largest federal electorate bearing his name. Grey is a figure of starkly contrasting perceptions: some hail him as a liberal and progressive pioneer of colonial Australia, while others condemn him as a "ruthless" manipulator whose actions towards Indigenous populations in both Australia and New Zealand render him undeserving of such an honor. The debate has been reignited by an anonymous submission to the Australian Electoral Commission's Redistribution Committee, prompting a proposal to rename the electorate. Historians like Vincent O'Malley highlight the contradictions in Grey's career, describing him as a "ruthless, manipulative, and deceitful servant of the empire" on one hand, and a "very liberal and quite humane figure" on the other. Grey's early life included expeditions in Western Australia and the compilation of Noongar language wordlists. He was speared during an expedition in the Kimberley, an injury that reportedly caused him lifelong pain, potentially contributing to his opium use. As governor of South Australia from 1841 to 1845, he is credited with guiding the near-bankrupt colony to prosperity and enacting the Aboriginal Witnesses Act. However, this act allowed Indigenous people to give evidence in court without an oath but prevented that evidence from being used in cases where settlers faced capital punishment. While Grey's legacy in Australia remained largely untarnished, his history in New Zealand is viewed more critically.

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Grey was a bundle of contradictions, really. On the one hand, he was a ruthless, manipulative, and deceitful servant of the empire. On the other hand, he was in some ways a very liberal and quite humane figure.