Private investors needed as partially built Darwin art gallery scrapped last minute

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Northern Territory Art Gallery in Darwin CBD, is the latest victim of CLP cuts to the previous government's list of 'pet projects'.  The building, which is almost complete, is now open to expressions of interest from the private sector. Leaving the arts and tourism sectors reminiscing on what could have been.

Transcript

00:00It's a sudden turn that's left people scratching their heads.

00:07Darwin's sparkling new art gallery scrapped at the 11th hour.

00:11We've seen those budget blowouts.

00:13I think it was slated at 46 million dollars.

00:16We're now up around 143 to 147 million dollars.

00:20And what the previous government never did, Adam,

00:23they never put any money in the budget to actually run the thing.

00:25The plan for the gallery was signed off in 2018

00:29as part of a major infrastructure package for Darwin CBD,

00:33including the new university campus

00:35and the underground car park at Parliament House,

00:38both of which are already complete.

00:41But the gallery, only months before completion,

00:43is now up for grabs as something else entirely.

00:47The building is very specific and very purpose-built.

00:50So the expressions of interest we're looking for,

00:52both nationally, internationally and even locally,

00:55is how that space may then be activated.

00:58Darwin's mayor saying the project was doomed from the start

01:02and that it joins a long list of public buildings

01:04that have broken the NT's bank.

01:07I hope the Treasurer, Bill Yann,

01:09and Chief Minister Lea Finocchiara have a good look

01:12at the departments to find out

01:14why do we have this blow up of budgets in public buildings.

01:19It's also raising concerns that potential investors will be spooked.

01:23We've had economic decline for the last few years.

01:26We've had our tourism numbers drop for the last few years.

01:29So if you're looking at other proponents coming in,

01:32they're going to be looking at the viability of that building.

01:35The ABC has spoken to arts and tourism sector operators

01:39who stand to benefit from the new gallery.

01:41They complain they've been left in the dark,

01:44only finding out the project was being canned

01:46when it was publicly announced this week.

01:49And they're going to be at the university

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