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Anger over $7.17m gallery design but Paech mum

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By ERWIN CHLANDA Arts Minister Chansey Paech will not answer questions dealing with consultation about the design and construction of the so-called National Aboriginal Art Gallery. We asked him this morning for names (not for publication) of the respondents to the consultation and what – in summary – each of them had said. The answer from an NTG spokesperson was: "Consultations carried out to date are for the consideration of the National Aboriginal Art Gallery Project Working Group. "A public information campaign is set to rollout during August and September." Interstate BVN Architecture, in collaboration with Alice firm Susan Dugdale & Associates, was awarded a $7.17m tender to design the NAAG in March 2022. The concept design unveiled last Friday is part of the design process, according to the spokesperson. Our questions were prompted by a statement from Graeme Smith, CEO of the local native title organisation, that Ms Dugdale, was in charge of gauging opinions of Aboriginal people. He said he did not know so far what the result of this process had been. Ms Dugdale referred us to the Department of Infrastructure, Planning & Logistics.

Meanwhile the News received 11 comments from readers – all of them negative towards the project.

Its proximity to Anzac Hill (arrow in illustration) has sparked angry responses. The Newsdisclosed on May 15 a government tender for a “Consultancy – Development and Implementation of a Fundraising Development Strategy” which revealed that the gallery is due to open in 2028.