Indigenous leaders divided on location, united on consultation about Anzac Oval art gallery plan

Traditional owners are calling on the government to come to the table and hear their thoughts on an art gallery proposed in the Red Centre capital – but not all have the same stance. Find out why.

The Central Arrernte women signing the letter they plan to give to the government at the women's gathering at Anzac Oval, Sunday, September 15, 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

The halting of work on a proposed art gallery on an oval in Alice Springs has left Indigenous leaders divided on its potential location – but united on a call for more consultation between them and the new CLP government.

Around 100 people gathered at the back of Anzac Oval on Sunday, to listen to traditional owners against the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery.

But days earlier, the NT Indigenous Business Network issued a statement wanting to push ahead with the gallery.

At the back of Anzac Oval, Kirsty Bloomfield – a member of the Liddle family — outlined the traditional owners’ reasoning and said the “government ain’t listening to anything we’ve said”.

“Many times we’ve had meetings with government around the significance of this site here for us, but they haven’t listened to us as Central Arrernte women and as traditional owners here of Mparntwe (Alice Springs),” she said.

The crowd listen to the Central Arrernte traditional owners at the women's gathering at Anzac Oval, Sunday, September 15, 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

“We don’t want it here (at Anzac Oval), where this place means so much to us as women, as traditional owners.”

“Our grannies didn’t have an opportunity to fight all those years ago when they did build a school (Anzac Hill High) here, and so the significance for us here today is that we have a voice now.”

The meeting was organised by South of the Gap, a group that wants the art gallery built south of Heavitree Gap, at the Desert Knowledge Precinct.

NT Indigenous Business Network chair Naomi Anstess, who is also a Larrakia Nation board member and independent director. Picture: Larrakia Nation

However, in a statement, the NTIB) said while it was opposed to the CLP stopping work on the site, it also wanted the government to sit down at the table with them.

NTIBN chair Naomi Anstess said “delaying this vital national project goes against the CLP mandate, of progress and action”.

“We extend an invitation to the Chief Minister and her government to engage in constructive dialogue aimed at accelerating economic development in Mparntwe and creating sustainable employment opportunities for Aboriginal people,” she said.

The NTIBN statement said the stop work order left Aboriginal employees on the site “jobless and idle” and “has cost the enabling works Aboriginal contractor over $100,000”.

The office of Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro forwarded this mastheads' queries to the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure.

In response, a NT government spokesperson said the government “has committed to building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia in Alice Springs”.

“Government agencies have been asked to start work on the new strategic direction and to establish a fresh approach for community consultation for the project,” they said.

“Further details will be provided when available.”