Sacred fire protest extinguished

ABORIGINAL protestors have been forced to put out their sacred fire in a Dandenong park.
City of Greater Dandenong regulatory services manager Peter Shelton said the council was alerted to the arrival of embers from the fire that had been at Kings Domain, to Hemmings Park at 10am on Thursday, 27 April.
“The fellow who identified himself as custodian of the fire indicated he came from Kings Domain,” he said.
“He had walked the embers from Kings Domain out to Dandenong.”
Mr Shelton said council officers convinced the group of Aboriginal men who had started the fire to extinguish the Hemmings Park flames and move embers to a more appropriate place.
“We went and spoke to the people who had arrived with it and we negotiated with them to relocate it to the Aboriginal cooperative in Stud Road.”
Mr Shelton said flame custodians agreed and after a visit to the centre, walked the embers to the City of Casey.
He said the main concern over the flame was its potential to spread fire throughout parkland.
The flame’s short-lived Dandenong tour came just a week after Cleeland Ward councillor Paul Donovan’s failed notice of motion to investigate the installation of a flame or Aboriginal monument in Dandenong Park.
Cr Donovan said he was disappointed the notice of motion received no support from fellow councillors, as it was a sign of moving towards reconciliation with the indigenous community.
– Shaun Inguanzo