Questions linger over funding for scrapped Alice Springs art gallery

Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour said the $80 million the federal government committed to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Art Gallery of Australia project – sensationally scrapped by NT Treasurer Bill Yan last year – has returned to “consolidated revenue”.

“I have said I will fight for the funding to return to Alice Springs, which I will keep doing. However, this also requires the active support of the Northern Territory Government and the Alice Springs Town Council,” she said.

“Our job now, at all levels of government, is to develop a plan that we can take forward.

“I understand the Alice Springs Town Council has a list of projects they want funded, but it will need to involve the Northern Territory Government also. I have a role to play in this advocating at the Federal level for that funding to come through, which I am committed to doing, but we all need to be at the table.”

Ms Scrymgour’s comments come as Alice Springs Town Council Mayor Asta Hill told Tuesday’s council meeting she is still fighting for the $80m to be put towards other projects in town.

Ms Hill said she met with representatives from Ms Scrymgour’s office, during which she “laboured the point” about the funding sitting in limbo.

She expressed the “widespread community disappointment” about the federal funding sitting in limbo and said she will continue advocating it be put towards any of the “shovel ready” projects council currently has.

But responding to questions from this masthead, Ms Scrymgour reiterated it was the NT government’s decision to scrap the project, which they were committing equal funding to.

“I have fought for Alice Springs’ fair share of funding, and I will keep doing that, but the NT Government must join me at the table,” Ms Scrymgour said.

Mr Yan scrapped the gallery in October last year after the $160m project was downsized, leading to a funding fracas between NT and federal government as the feds reviewed their share of the funding commitment.

Mr Yan has been contacted for comment but this masthead did not receive a response by deadline.