Indigenous gallery location done and dusted, says Lambley

6
1970

p1845lambleyrobynBy ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Independent MLA for Araluen Robyn Lambley (pictured) did not ask Arts Minister Lauren Moss at yesterday’s Estimates hearing: Will the government fund the Indigenous art gallery only if it is built on Anzac Oval?
 
When asked for comment by the Alice Springs News Online she said: “I think they [the government] have made up their minds in October last year. They have said it dozens of times in public. A final decision will be made and it will be Anzac Oval.”
 
Has she talked to the Town Council, which is against that location for the gallery by a seven to two vote, and which owns the site?
 
She has not specifically discussed this with the local government, but she said, “I think the council is softening.”
 
Ms Lambley said she did not have time during the hearing on the subject of the gallery, which took about 30 minutes, to ask a question specifically about the location.
 
We put to her that it would have taken only a few seconds to get the “yes” or “no” reply onto the Parliamentary record.
 
She said it was more important to explore additional funding opportunities in addition to the $50m pledged by the government: “I did not want to waste my time.”
 
The only question Ms Lambley asked about the location was: “A final area I wanted to ask you about were the recommendations from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Museum report that was provided by the steering scoping committee.
 
“I do not remember you ever stating publicly which recommendations you intend to implement and which recommendations you do not.
 
“Clearly you have decided not to go with No 9, which is a recommendation about the site [Desert Park]. Are there other recommendations that you will not be implementing?”
 
Ms Moss replied: “We are working through the recommendations. There are a number of recommendations and they speak to different components of the project and they also speak to different times within the projects as well. We will be responding to the recommendations.”
 
 
 

6 COMMENTS

  1. How sad that the Government does not listen to us, the people who live in Alice.
    I speak to many people and no one I know wants the gallery on the Anzac site. We will do all in we can to SAVE our oval.

  2. I have spoken also to many people and they support Anzac as the location. As stated it is going on the land of the old high school.
    A meeting at council and public consultation. It is government land. They do not have to consult with anyone.
    When it comes to including the oval for open area then that is a need for MOU. Basic logic. The building is going on the government land. Now let’s all settle down and deal with facts.

  3. All that land south of the airport and along the main South Road opposite AZRI also is advertised as “Crown Land”. Yet when questioned about why the Government does not use it, the inevitable answer was it’s not available for a number of very curious reasons.
    How is it that the government is not able to use crown land? I think the arts /cultural centre would fit very nicely with Yirrara College and a display of bush foods where the students could proudly display their own culture, and education as at the school of the air, plus learn the administrative skills involved in its management.
    Maybe even a visitors centre with student involvement where the grey nomads can conveniently park their caravans without traffic infringements and inconvenience.

  4. @ Trevor Shiell. Posted 22nd June. 4:24pm.
    The Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founder’s Museum in Longreach are kilometres from the CBD, but the Town Council has had to build an additional caravan park on the river because, in peak season, the others are full.
    The new dinosaur park in Winton is out of town.
    Probably because they build the town in the wrong place back then.
    If only they’d known.
    Some people have been calling for a Town Plan in Alice for years, but have given the game away and it’s easy to see why.
    Even you have expressed this Yirara idea several times.
    Ever get the feeling you’re a cracked record?
    Actually, ‘blessed are the cracked for they shall let in a little light.’

  5. Congrats Trevor, as I previously stated the report from 15 years ago was what you and I have explained.
    It’s a great idea as people traveling from the airport would put it on the list of things to do in Alice.
    Nobody wants to have a youth detention centre on that site. Great way to really highlight Aboriginal culture in the most positive way and a awesome career path for the Yirara students.

  6. I’m still waiting to see a discussion paper setting out the pros and cons of the different options, with estimated costings for each.
    I am reluctant to believe that our government could make a decision committing so many public $$$ without such a document.
    If it proves to be the case, then gawd help us – they say we get the government we deserve….!

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