Redfern Yarns: Shane Phillips

“We have to create our own destiny and develop our own tools to do it.” Shane Phillips’s dad Richard Phillipswas the manager for The Housing Company. He remembers the shootings and bomb threats of the early 1970’s from non-Aboriginal people wanting the “blackfellers” gone. Shane played for the Redfern All Blacks, saw many boxers (including his father - fighting name: Dick Blair - who trained at McQuillan’s) and Mohammed Ali’s visit to Australia.

Keywords: Identity; suburban living; childhood; racism; Redfern; football; boxing; change, city; change, attitudes