The Northern Territory news Sat 23 Jan 2010
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2010-01-23
This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Darwin
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/216878
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/708759
12 Northern Territory News, Saturday, January 23, 2010 www.ntnews.com.au P U B : N T N E W S D A T E : 2 3 -J A N -2 0 1 0 P A G E : 1 2 C O L O R : C M Y K FURNITURE BEDDING ELECTRICAL 1544 Stuart Highway, Winnellie PH: (08) 8984 4900 e r2 9 0 6 0 7 w w w . c a r l a f u r n i s h e r s . c o m . a u As the Monsoon weather hits the Top End, Carla Furnishers is building up a storm with its Hot deals. With stocktake just around the corner prices are LOW, LOW, LOW! Its that time of the year, so get in to Carlas to sweep up a bargain before the prices are all blown away. So get into Carlas this weekend for some hot deals at Low prices MONSOON Pictures are for illustration purposes only Bedroom UP TO 40% OFF UP TO 40% OFF UP TO 40% OFF Lounges Dining Entertainment Unit IF ITS ON THE FLOOR ITS OUT THE DOOR! Slashed Slashed UP TO 40% OFFSlashe d Top Brands Split System Airconditioners and Window / Wall Slashed MONSOON AIR CLEARANCE! NEWS Indoor Cricket, Netball & Soccer ENTER A TEAM OR AS AN INDIVIDUAL NOW 7 Bishop St, Woolner topendindoorsports.com enquiries@topendindoorsports.com 8942 3366 or 0416 710 372 (Joe) e r3 0 0 6 1 9 Junior Competition Saturdays Ombudsman query on chair ByALYSSABETTS THE NT Ombudsman is concerned Dr Howard Bath has a conflict of interest in co-chairing a public inquiry into Territory child protection services. But Dr Bath says there is no conflict of interest and he is better equipped than most to run it. Ombudsman Carolyn Richards has told the Northern Territory News her concerns relate to an audit Dr Bath did for the Government in 2007. The audit report which looked at how the parts of the Department, including child protection services, responded to high-risk clients was in re sponse to the death of Deborah Melville, who died in the dirt outside her foster carers home. Ms Richards said the inquiry he now chaired would need to look at the adequacy of his audit report, the quality of his recommendati o n s a n d w h e t h e r t h e y were implemented. He has a conflict of interest in an inquiry that of necessity will have to evaluate his recommendations and decide were they adequate, she said. Dr Bath said the inquiry was not about assessing the adequacy of past reports. He said part of the inquirys work would be to look at past recommendations and see if they had been implemented. The audit that I did contributes to that, he said. In other words, it gives me some insight into one very specific area of functioning. Dr Bath also said Ms Richards belief that Child Protection Minister Kon Vatskalis had asked him to change a report he has been commissioned to do into intake services for FACS was totally wrong. In light of the broad-ranging inquiry that had been announced into child protection ... (Mr) Vatskalis wrote and asked that I deliver the final report to him when the Board of Inquiry delivers its full report, he said. PLANS: NT Museum history curator Michelle Smith in Alice Springs. Picture: DANIEL BURDON New curator champions social history By LAURENCRAWLEY THE Territorys new history curator plans to use social history to reconnect with locals. Michelle Smith recently began her new role which, for the first time, is based in Alice Springs. The museum of Central Australia is predominantly a natural museum, with minerals and animals, she said. I want to inject some social history ... so more stories about local history. Ms Smith said while it is an excellent museum, it is missing a drawcard for locals to visit. The locals dont really come to visit, she said. I want to find a way to attract them and think the way to do it is through stories of the township so they can find out about local history. Ms Smith, originally from Queensland, is looking forward to learning about indigenous culture and said she was really enjoying living in central Australia. I saw the Todd in flood, which was great, she said. We drove out to Hermannsburg and it was so lush and green. Its amazing. Ms Smiths role as curator means she will be responsible for all the museums and art galleries in the Northern Territory, including the Cyclone Tracy exhibit in Darwin. Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory deputy director south, Michael Cawthorn, said Ms Smith had an important role in enhancing peoples understanding of NT history. Historical research and collections are important to the Territory, he said. Bellamack project on track for end of year THE controversial Bellamack Gardens development is on track to be completed by the end of the year. The $7 million development was yesterday tendered to Darwin-based Norbuilt. The project was originally planned to be 32 expandable homes but was scrapped after receiving heavy criticism because blocks of land were as small as 150sq m. The plan was then reduced to 28 properties in a mix of townhouses and units. Acting Lands and Planning Minister Karl Hampton said the government initiative was a respondse to the need for affordable housing options. I encourage anyone who is looking to get a foot in the door of the housing market to consider buying one of these units or townhouses, he said.