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ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
NT Museum and Art Gallery chair resigns amid new CBD gallery plan fallout
The chair of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) has resigned, amid the fallout of a decision to up-end plans to create a new Darwin CBD art gallery. MAGNT chair and former Labor chief minister Clare Martin has quit her position less than a year after her contract was renewed by the previous Territory Labor government. She was appointed to the role by the Labor government in 2018. Her departure comes after the NT's Country Liberal Party (CLP) government announced it would be pausing or scrapping plans to open a new Darwin CBD art gallery, despite the building being nearly constructed. The building in Darwin's State Square was slated to be a new government-run gallery to showcase artworks from MAGNT's collection — primarily pieces from the NT and Asia — which currently have nowhere to be displayed. Arts Minister Jinson Charls said in May that costs for the new building had blown out by $100 million, and the previous NT Labor government had not budgeted for ongoing operational costs. The government has called for expressions of interest (EOIs) for potential operators to bid on ways to "maximise the possibilities the site offers", and said the building will not necessarily be used as an art gallery now. The building is being purpose-built as a gallery, but there have been long-standing concerns over its expected operating costs, which the CLP has said will likely be around $8 million per year. Ms Martin has been contacted for comment to confirm why she resigned, but sources have told the ABC that her decision was directly related to the gallery upheaval. Mr Charls has also been contacted for comment over the MAGNT chair's resignation. NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro told ABC Radio Darwin on Tuesday that, regardless of who took over the new CBD building, the government wanted to see it as a "signature piece" for the city. "There might be some exciting proponents who have some great ideas on what to do with it, [or] it may very well still end up being an art gallery," she said. "It'll be very interesting to see what comes out of the [EOI] process, if anything at all. "It's a shemozzle … we're now trying to see if there's a better way to use it; if not, well … we can put a chain around the door and not open it, or we can open it and put art in it. "All of that needs to play out." Ms Finocchiaro said the new CBD gallery did not have a storage facility for the entirety of MAGNT's holding collection, which she said was currently falling into ruin in storage at the museum's flagship location at Bullocky Point. "It's in a shed, rusting to the ground," Ms Finocchiaro said. The ABC understands that MAGNT will be submitting an EOI for the building to still become a CBD art gallery.
The Advertiser
7 days ago
- The Advertiser
Second death in custody shatters tiny outback community
An Aboriginal community reeling after losing a second young man in a fatal police incident wants funding restored for programs to help youths avoid the criminal justice system. Widespread anger has been sparked after a 24-year-old mentally disabled man was forced to the floor of an Alice Springs supermarket by two plain-clothes police officers and fell unconscious. The man - originally from the small desert town of Yuendumu - died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital on Tuesday, sparking a police investigation. The man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. Police late on Thursday alleged the man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident. The cause of the man's death was still undetermined, police said. The Yuendumu community lost a young man in police custody in 2019 when 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the death in 2022. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the Walker case. Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, has called for CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage to be released to the family so they can understand what happened. Mr Hargraves told AAP his shattered community was talking about postponing the June 10 coroner's event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". He said his community had put forward many solutions to improve relations with the justice system but they had been ignored. In 2024, Yuendumu was approved under an NT government act to establish a law and justice group and was given a small grant, but the new Country Liberal Party government removed the funding without consultation, he said. A Yuendumu cultural authority based on traditional decision-making had been set up to be the front door to the community "but sadly our continued requests for resources to develop this authority had been ignored", Mr Hargraves said. NT Police said they had been in contact with the man's family and visited the Yuendumu community to provide an update. "Our thoughts are with the deceased's family, our members and the entire Alice Springs community and we thank them for their patience as we work through this investigation," Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An Aboriginal community reeling after losing a second young man in a fatal police incident wants funding restored for programs to help youths avoid the criminal justice system. Widespread anger has been sparked after a 24-year-old mentally disabled man was forced to the floor of an Alice Springs supermarket by two plain-clothes police officers and fell unconscious. The man - originally from the small desert town of Yuendumu - died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital on Tuesday, sparking a police investigation. The man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. Police late on Thursday alleged the man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident. The cause of the man's death was still undetermined, police said. The Yuendumu community lost a young man in police custody in 2019 when 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the death in 2022. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the Walker case. Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, has called for CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage to be released to the family so they can understand what happened. Mr Hargraves told AAP his shattered community was talking about postponing the June 10 coroner's event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". He said his community had put forward many solutions to improve relations with the justice system but they had been ignored. In 2024, Yuendumu was approved under an NT government act to establish a law and justice group and was given a small grant, but the new Country Liberal Party government removed the funding without consultation, he said. A Yuendumu cultural authority based on traditional decision-making had been set up to be the front door to the community "but sadly our continued requests for resources to develop this authority had been ignored", Mr Hargraves said. NT Police said they had been in contact with the man's family and visited the Yuendumu community to provide an update. "Our thoughts are with the deceased's family, our members and the entire Alice Springs community and we thank them for their patience as we work through this investigation," Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An Aboriginal community reeling after losing a second young man in a fatal police incident wants funding restored for programs to help youths avoid the criminal justice system. Widespread anger has been sparked after a 24-year-old mentally disabled man was forced to the floor of an Alice Springs supermarket by two plain-clothes police officers and fell unconscious. The man - originally from the small desert town of Yuendumu - died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital on Tuesday, sparking a police investigation. The man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. Police late on Thursday alleged the man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident. The cause of the man's death was still undetermined, police said. The Yuendumu community lost a young man in police custody in 2019 when 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the death in 2022. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the Walker case. Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, has called for CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage to be released to the family so they can understand what happened. Mr Hargraves told AAP his shattered community was talking about postponing the June 10 coroner's event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". He said his community had put forward many solutions to improve relations with the justice system but they had been ignored. In 2024, Yuendumu was approved under an NT government act to establish a law and justice group and was given a small grant, but the new Country Liberal Party government removed the funding without consultation, he said. A Yuendumu cultural authority based on traditional decision-making had been set up to be the front door to the community "but sadly our continued requests for resources to develop this authority had been ignored", Mr Hargraves said. NT Police said they had been in contact with the man's family and visited the Yuendumu community to provide an update. "Our thoughts are with the deceased's family, our members and the entire Alice Springs community and we thank them for their patience as we work through this investigation," Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An Aboriginal community reeling after losing a second young man in a fatal police incident wants funding restored for programs to help youths avoid the criminal justice system. Widespread anger has been sparked after a 24-year-old mentally disabled man was forced to the floor of an Alice Springs supermarket by two plain-clothes police officers and fell unconscious. The man - originally from the small desert town of Yuendumu - died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital on Tuesday, sparking a police investigation. The man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. Police late on Thursday alleged the man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident. The cause of the man's death was still undetermined, police said. The Yuendumu community lost a young man in police custody in 2019 when 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the death in 2022. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the Walker case. Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, has called for CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage to be released to the family so they can understand what happened. Mr Hargraves told AAP his shattered community was talking about postponing the June 10 coroner's event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". He said his community had put forward many solutions to improve relations with the justice system but they had been ignored. In 2024, Yuendumu was approved under an NT government act to establish a law and justice group and was given a small grant, but the new Country Liberal Party government removed the funding without consultation, he said. A Yuendumu cultural authority based on traditional decision-making had been set up to be the front door to the community "but sadly our continued requests for resources to develop this authority had been ignored", Mr Hargraves said. NT Police said they had been in contact with the man's family and visited the Yuendumu community to provide an update. "Our thoughts are with the deceased's family, our members and the entire Alice Springs community and we thank them for their patience as we work through this investigation," Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
West Australian
7 days ago
- West Australian
Second death in custody shatters tiny outback community
An Aboriginal community reeling after losing a second young man in a fatal police incident wants funding restored for programs to help youths avoid the criminal justice system. Widespread anger has been sparked after a 24-year-old mentally disabled man was forced to the floor of an Alice Springs supermarket by two plain-clothes police officers and fell unconscious. The man - originally from the small desert town of Yuendumu - died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital on Tuesday, sparking a police investigation. The man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. Police late on Thursday alleged the man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident. The cause of the man's death was still undetermined, police said. The Yuendumu community lost a young man in police custody in 2019 when 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the death in 2022. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the Walker case. Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, has called for CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage to be released to the family so they can understand what happened. Mr Hargraves told AAP his shattered community was talking about postponing the June 10 coroner's event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". He said his community had put forward many solutions to improve relations with the justice system but they had been ignored. In 2024, Yuendumu was approved under an NT government act to establish a law and justice group and was given a small grant, but the new Country Liberal Party government removed the funding without consultation, he said. A Yuendumu cultural authority based on traditional decision-making had been set up to be the front door to the community "but sadly our continued requests for resources to develop this authority had been ignored", Mr Hargraves said. NT Police said they had been in contact with the man's family and visited the Yuendumu community to provide an update. "Our thoughts are with the deceased's family, our members and the entire Alice Springs community and we thank them for their patience as we work through this investigation," Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Perth Now
Second death in custody shatters tiny outback community
An Aboriginal community reeling after losing a second young man in a fatal police incident wants funding restored for programs to help youths avoid the criminal justice system. Widespread anger has been sparked after a 24-year-old mentally disabled man was forced to the floor of an Alice Springs supermarket by two plain-clothes police officers and fell unconscious. The man - originally from the small desert town of Yuendumu - died about an hour later at Alice Springs Hospital on Tuesday, sparking a police investigation. The man, who is understood to have been under a guardianship order and on an NDIS plan, allegedly assaulted a security guard who accused him of shoplifting. Police late on Thursday alleged the man assaulted a woman not known to him in the Alice Springs CBD prior to the Coles incident. The cause of the man's death was still undetermined, police said. The Yuendumu community lost a young man in police custody in 2019 when 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges over the death in 2022. The latest death has prompted the Yuendumu community to consider postponing a June 10 visit by Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage to announce her findings in the Walker case. Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, has called for CCTV and security guard body-worn camera footage to be released to the family so they can understand what happened. Mr Hargraves told AAP his shattered community was talking about postponing the June 10 coroner's event "because of all these troubles happening right now, it's too much". He said his community had put forward many solutions to improve relations with the justice system but they had been ignored. In 2024, Yuendumu was approved under an NT government act to establish a law and justice group and was given a small grant, but the new Country Liberal Party government removed the funding without consultation, he said. A Yuendumu cultural authority based on traditional decision-making had been set up to be the front door to the community "but sadly our continued requests for resources to develop this authority had been ignored", Mr Hargraves said. NT Police said they had been in contact with the man's family and visited the Yuendumu community to provide an update. "Our thoughts are with the deceased's family, our members and the entire Alice Springs community and we thank them for their patience as we work through this investigation," Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plans to build prison work camp at farming college
A crime-troubled territory in dire need of more beds in jails is negotiating with a university to turn part of an agricultural college into a prison farm work camp. The Northern Territory government is in talks with Charles Darwin University to turn land at its rural college, 18km northwest of Katherine, into a prison farm for 100 low- to open-security inmates to be operating by the end of 2025. The prison farm plans come amid record spending of $1.5 billion for law and order announced in the NT budget on May 13, with a third of that for corrective services. The Country Liberal Party government in May rushed through tough new bail laws that will ramp up the demand for prison beds. Corrections Minister Gerard Maley has confirmed negotiations were ongoing with the university, with the proposed work camp being a key part of the government's "sentenced to skill" program for low security inmates. The university's Katherine rural campus spans more than 4400 hectares of working cattle and farming operations, the university's website says. Infrastructure funding was ready to get the proposed facility up and running and it would alleviate pressures on the system, Mr Maley told the NT News. University vice-chancellor Scott Bowman confirmed preliminary talks were underway with the NT corrections department about a parcel of land on the rural campus being made available for the building of a correctional facility. "Charles Darwin University is proud of the work we currently undertake with the Department of Corrections, delivering training in all Northern Territory correctional facilities," he said in a statement to AAP. "Our work so far has demonstrated that skills and education are key in rehabilitation." Acting Corrections Commissioner Alecia Brimson has acknowledged the strain put on the NT prison system by staff retention issues, with 40 per cent of the 157 correctional officers recruited in July quitting in less than 12 months. Data shows the NT has an incarceration rate three times greater than anywhere else in Australia and has the highest reoffending rate, with six out of 10 prisoners returning to jail within two years of release. A justice reform group says the NT government should stop investing in new prisons in response to overcrowding and instead look at proven community-led programs to address the root causes of crime to make communities safer. Justice Reform Initiative's NT co-ordinator and Noongar woman Rocket Bretherton said overcrowded and understaffed jails led to long lockdowns and pressure-cooker situations that endangered people in prison. "How is that rehabilitating people? How is that making the community safer, how is that setting people up to better their lives when they come out of prison? "If jailing people worked then the Northern Territory would be the safest place in the world, with the amount of people we have in jails. So obviously jailing is failing," she told AAP.
