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Native title group silent on its meeting agenda

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By ERWIN CHLANDA The native title holders of Alice Springs will have the opportunity at Saturday's AGM to overturn a deal between their corporation, Lhere Artepe, and the NT Government, supporting the construction of the proposed national Aboriginal art centre in the Anzac Precinct. Many Aboriginal people, including very senior custodians, have expressed their wish to have the gallery built south of The Gap. Acting CEO Graeme Smith is not providing a list of motions to be discussed, not would he reply to this question from the Alice Springs News: "Is the recent $20m agreement between Lhere Artepe and the NT Government an inducement to support the Anzac location?" In response to being shown a draft of this report Mr Smith replied: "Again some information which is incorrect. I have no comment to make about your stories when they are misleading, have a motive and is incorrect." He provided no substantiation for his allegations. Lhere Artepe is made up of three corporations representing the local moieties, Mparntwe, Antulye and Irlpme, which in turn are having or recently had their AGMs. They elect three members each to vote at the Lhere Artepe meeting. Each of the three moiety corporations will also get a vote. The Alice Springs News understands there may soon be changes of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 to limit the membership to "natural persons" – no longer including the three corporations. They have a combined membership of about 250 people, according to undated but publicly available lists on the website of the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC). These people are the registered native title holders of the municipality of Alice Springs, giving them a say over Crown land in that area. The current Lhere Artepe members are:- Amanda Baird, Christine Campbell and Wayne Campbell (Mparntwe); Connie Craig, William Craig, Lynette Ellis-Ross and Shane Lindner (Antulye – the latter being the chairman of Lhere Artepe); as well as Phillipine Gorey, Raelene Martin and Matthew Palmer (Irlpme). The AGM is not open to non-members. PHOTO: The Anzac highschool building being demolished to make room for the proposed national Aboriginal art centre. Lhere Artepe's support for this location may be come under attack at the native title organisation's AGM on Saturday. Related reading.