Demand protection for Aboriginal site

By Chris Spindler

SYDNEY -- The National Aboriginal History and Heritage Council protested at Bob Carr's Heritage Week address on April 22 to draw attention to its demand that the ``Day of Mourning'' site be protected as a place of Aboriginal significance.

Jenny Munro, NAHHC chairperson, explained the significance of the hall, which was the venue for the first Aboriginal civil rights protest, on January 26, 1938.

``In that hall was assembled most of the fighters for our people of that generation. They came and gathered there, so that all that collective psychic energy is there for a lot of our people. Once you change it, all of that energy is gone.''

Carr has refused to recognise the site as a heritage site despite recommendations from the National Trust, the Australian Heritage Commission and the Sydney City Council. On April 23, 200 people toured the site to show support for the NAHHC campaign.

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