The new Northern Territory government has revealed the demolition of Anzac Oval to build a new art gallery will be suspended. (ABC News: Dylan Anderson)
In short:
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro visited Alice Springs for the first time since being elected last month and pledged to save Anzac Oval.
The previous government went ahead with plans to build a controversial new art gallery on the playing field, despite opposition from traditional owners and other residents of the desert town.
What’s next?
Demolition of the stadium has been paused, with the Country Liberal government saying it still hopes the project can go ahead without “undue delay”.
Demolition of the Anzac Oval in Alice Springs has been put on hold as the new Northern Territory government reconsiders “next steps” for the controversial Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art gallery.
The $150 million project, formerly known as the National Aboriginal Art Gallery, has faced sustained community opposition since it was first announced by the former NT Labor government in 2017.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro told ABC Alice Springs on Thursday the demolition had been paused after “listening to the community”.
Lia Finocchiaro has pledged to preserve Anzac Oval, where the previous Northern Territory government planned to build a new art gallery. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)
“We want to do this right for the people of Alice Springs,” she said.
“We know it took Labour eight years to build this community.
“We don’t expect there to be any further delays to that project – it will absolutely go ahead – but Anzac Oval will be preserved.”
Ms Finocchiaro said there was a possibility of retaining the popular oval and building the gallery on the same site.
“We could probably redesign it so they’re all in this beautiful location,” she said.
Proposed design for the National Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs. (ABC News: Northern Territory Government)
“We’ve heard from the tourism community and the business community that they want it at that end of the mall, and we’ve heard from the community that we need sports facilities.
“It seems a waste and a shame to demolish the excellent facilities our children and adults need.”
After years of unresolved football home ground issues, Aaron Blacker, a life member of the league, said the sporting community was celebrating the return of home ground.
“We can say that Anzac Oval is once again the home of rugby league, the home of the league, and that’s 10 steps forward,” he said.
The rules will move to Jim McConville Oval from next season as demolition work begins on Anzac Oval.
Aaron Black said he was pleased Anzac Oval would not be demolished. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
“We’ve gone from 700 to 800 people playing sports and rugby league and rugby union combined are probably only 300 people playing,” Mr Black said.
“We really feel like we were abandoned by the previous government.”
Opposition to planned site
Since its conception, the project has been marred by failed negotiations with traditional owners who argue the planned development of the Anzac Oval site could threaten sacred sites.
National Aboriginal Art Gallery being built on sacred site divides community
Doris Stuart Kngwarreye looks out over her home country
It was promoted as a future tourist destination that would celebrate 65,000 years of culture and boost the economy of central Australia. But it has divided the Alice Springs community
Local traditional owner Doris Stuart said it was disappointing the new CLP government was proposing to build the gallery on the same site.
She said: “They are disrespecting an important women’s website.
“It was a place where people held celebrations and ceremonies.
“My father would say, ‘You take care of this place, don’t let anyone else take care of it, do what you want with it’.”
Doris Stuart wants to build an art gallery away from the Holy Land. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
Yvonne Driscoll of action group South of the Gap, who has also campaigned against the gallery at Anzac Oval, said she “will not stop fighting”.
“Don’t build something that is so impractical and something that indigenous people don’t want,” she said.
“We are trying to take it south of the Gap .. the land there is associated with the cultural center.
“We will make sure of that because it is very important to us.”
The former NT Labor government ignored the advice of a steering committee set up in 2017 that the gallery should be built in a desert park outside the city centre.
Alice Springs Town Council (ASTC) also took legal action to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal in 2021, which recommended that the government further consider the concerns of traditional owners before moving forward.
The council eventually settled the legal dispute and the oval, which had belonged to ASTC, was compulsorily purchased by the Northern Territory government last year for $3.66 million.
