A federal MP says the Commonwealth could take over control of a controversial national Aboriginal art gallery planned for Alice Springs. It comes after the Northern Territory government announced the long-awaited gallery would be almost halved in size under a new master plan, which has been condemned by some as "offensive".
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00:00After a tough period for Alice Springs, many hoped a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
00:07gallery would provide a ray of hope.
00:10By having a state-of-the-art venue here that really champions this whole movement,
00:16would be a big win for Alice Springs tourism and the community.
00:20But last month, the NT government announced the long-awaited gallery would be almost halved in size
00:25to a three-storey, 4,000-square-metre building, a change some say is very disappointing.
00:32It's really a reflection, perhaps, on what the CLP think about Indigenous art.
00:38The NT government says this redesign will finally see the project progress after seven years of delays.
00:44But the local federal MP says it's not the world-class institution the federal government agreed to
00:50when it pledged $80 million to the project.
00:53And she flagged if nothing changed, the Commonwealth may step in and take control.
00:58I think Alice Springs deserves better. I think the Northern Territory deserves better.
01:04The NT chief minister previously told the ABC the federal government was fully on board with the redesign.
01:11But a spokesperson says infrastructure minister Catherine King is still waiting to see the new plans,
01:17with Ms Scrimgeour claiming the entire process has been poorly communicated.
01:23There's been no conversations between the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth government,
01:28and I think that needs to happen.
01:30While the local tourism peak body has welcomed the CLP's efforts to get the ball rolling,
01:35they say the gallery must be bigger to attract international tourists.
01:39If the federal government wants to do that, then good on them and we'll back them 100 per cent.
01:44The NT government was contacted for comment.