The masterplan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery in Alice Springs has been altered, and the building will be significantly smaller than originally planned. Long-term residents and traditional owners say their concerns have been ignored, while the new government pushes ahead with a plan it claims will boost tourism and save money.
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00:00A federally backed multi-million dollar project, years in the making, now downsized to a carpark.
00:10The original gallery was going to be somewhere between six to seven thousand square metres.
00:14So this will be slightly smaller, but what we will be delivering is real.
00:19The NT government recently halted works to demolish Anzac Oval.
00:24The government saying its latest downsized design is necessary to meet the 149 million
00:31dollar budget and save the Oval.
00:35Labor MP and former Arts Minister Chancey Paik was a key driver of the project and says
00:42the new plans are disappointing.
00:44What other national institution or gallery in Australia or in the world is in front of
00:51an oval across the road from a pub and next to a carpark.
00:56Plans for the gallery's location have been controversial from the outset.
01:01Traditional custodians fighting development on what they say is a sacred site and sporting
01:06groups keen to protect the Oval.
01:09It's just been completely mishandled all along.
01:12It's cost us a lot of money in the budget and a lot of aggravation in the town.
01:18A group of traditional owners who have been lobbying to have the gallery moved to another
01:23site say they're disappointed the new NT government has failed to hear their concerns.
01:29The government, however, says it's sticking to the plan and says the federal government
01:33is on board.
01:34They're saying the gallery will open its doors in 2027.