Parrtjima live events scrapped from Todd Mall

PARRTJIMA organisers have canned all live events in the Todd Mall amid safety concerns

PARRTJIMA organisers have canned all live events in the Todd Mall.

Live events as part of the festival will be held at the Alice Springs Desert Park and a light installation will be featured in the mall.

The decision comes after a car was driven through the mall late one night after the festival program had finished.

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Shadow Major Events Minister Joshua Burgoyne said the removal of events from the Todd Mall showed the Government had not got a handle on crime in the region.

“This is a devastating blow to the Alice Springs community. Crime and anti-social behaviour is ruining the quality of life for residents in Central Australia, and now crime is ruining the government’s plans for economic recovery,” he said.

“On one hand the Minister for Tourism, Natasha Fyles, has been spruiking Parrtjima as ‘an incredible draw card for the region’ that ‘continues to draw people to the Red Centre from all over Australia, to see and experience it for themselves’, but on the other hand, can’t guarantee community safety for a public event.

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Parrtjima this year will be held from April 9 to 18.

Last year’s event was postponed to September due to coronavirus.

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