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Australia

NT Opposition ramps up calls for Chief Minister to handover documents to ICAC

A woman in a green blazer sits behind a desk with a microphone

The Northern Territory Chief Minister is under renewed pressure to allow the anti-corruption watchdog to access secret cabinet documents that were the subject of a “serious allegation”.

In a report tabled in parliament last month, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Michael Riches, said he initiated an investigation after receiving a claim that a cabinet submission had been “edited” by a public officer “so as to be misleading to the true state of affairs”.

However, because current legislation prevents the ICAC from accessing cabinet-related material, Mr Riches said he “invited” then chief minister Michael Gunner to consider handing over the relevant documents.

Mr Gunner declined the request, which Mr Riches said was his legal right, but he added that doing so prevented further investigation.

Lia Finocchiaro at a press conference.
Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro has accused the Chief Minister of trying to avoid scrutiny. (ABC News: Che Chorley)

The Opposition has been calling for Ms Fyles, who took over from Mr Gunner in May, to handover the material, given she later agreed to grant the ICAC access to other cabinet-related documents that were the subject of a different allegation.

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Categories
Australia

NT WorkSafe charges City of Palmerston over council worker’s near-drowning on lake in Durack

A lake in a park, with green grass and trees in the background.

One of the Northern Territory’s largest councils has been charged over a near-drowning incident, after a weed harvester capsized on a lake, trapping a worker underneath.

The City of Palmerston — east of Darwin — has been charged by NT WorkSafe with nine counts of breaching the Northern Territory’s workplace health and safety laws and regulations in relation to the February 2020 incident, including four counts of failing to comply with its duty of care .

If found guilty of all charges, the council could be fined up to $7 million.

In a statement, NT WorkSafe said the council worker and a colleague had been taking it in turns using the amphibious weed harvester to clear and remove weeds from a lake in Durack, when the craft had tipped over and capsized.

The worker was briefly trapped underneath the harvester before escaping, but sustained injuries.

“NT WorkSafe will allege that the City of Palmerston failed to follow all the manufacturer’s safety recommendations, which were provided during the purchase of the craft,” WorkSafe NT said.

“One of the recommendation not followed, was when the City of Palmerston modified the craft by installing a crocodile cage, without first consulting with the manufacturer on how this modification would affect the craft’s stability and safety during operation.”

The case is due to come before Darwin Local Court on Monday, August 29.

The City of Palmerston declined to comment.

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Categories
Business

Metricon QLD GM Luke Fryer quits, national restructure update this week

Metricon QLD GM Luke Fryer quits, national restructure update this week

The Queensland general manager of troubled builder Metricon has resigned, days after the company announced around 225 staff would be sacked in a national restructure.

Luke Fryer, who had been with the company for 15 years starting as a sales estimator in 2007, was previously NSW GM before moving back to his home state of Queensland in 2020.

Metricon director Jason Biasin announced Mr Fryer’s resignation in an email to staff on Friday.

“The last two years have seen more challenges in our industry than ever before,” Mr Biasin wrote.

“Luke’s commitment to our people, to me personally and our business has been unwavering and will not be forgotten. We wish Luke all the best for the future and he will always remain a part of the Metricon family.”

He added, “I know this week has been very difficult for everyone and I thank you all for your professional and compassionate approach to the tasks at hand and looking after each other. I look forward to sharing more positive news with you next week.”

Metricon has been contacted for comment.

Last Monday, Metricon announced it would be shedding 9 per cent, or about 225 of its 2500-strong national workforce, in a restructure “to better accommodate and reflect the requirements of the current market“.

The affected roles are largely in sales and marketing.

The country’s largest home builder was plunged into crisis in May amid reports it was on the verge of financial ruin and engaging in crisis talks with the Victorian government, following the sudden death of its founder Mario Biasin.

Acting chief executive Peter Langfelder has repeatedly shot down those allegations, but a question mark still hangs over Metricon’s future despite the company’s directors injecting $30 million into its business to allay fears about its survival, and a rescue deal being struck with Commonwealth Bank.

Last month, Metricon listed nearly 60 display homes for sale across NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, worth a total of around $65 million.

Staff who were informed of the restructure during a Microsoft Teams meeting last week said those who had remained with the company rather than jumping ship “basically had the rug pulled out from under them”.

“It has not been received well by some of them,” one NSW staff member told news.com.au. “I’m a little bit burned by the whole situation.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Metricon confirmed it was in the “process of an internal restructure of the business, with an increased focus on delivering homes to more than 6000 Australians whose houses will be constructed this year”.

“To better accommodate and reflect the requirements of the current market and ensure the most appropriate deployment of resources, Metricon is working to appropriately reduce its sales and marketing capability while it focuses on the construction and delivery of more than 6000 homes,” a spokeswoman said .

“We have commenced a consultation process with our people. This process is proposed to lead to a reduction of personnel and redundancies across the national business.”

The spokeswoman said 2020 and 2021 saw record demand for homebuilding and that Metricon “expects demand to settle at pre-pandemic levels”. “As a result, the business will rebalance towards construction on homes it is currently building and the thousands more in the pipeline – the biggest volume in the company’s history,” she said.

The impacted roles will be at the “front-end of the business, predominantly in sales and marketing roles, representing approximately 9 per cent of the national workforce”.

“With the headwinds buffeting the industry, specifically labor costs due to competition for skills, combined with present global material cost hikes and with our very strong existing pipeline of work, we need to carefully balance the current pipeline of new builds with the construction side of the business,” Mr Langfelder said in the statement.

“We are working to restructure our front-end of the business given the current climate and the need to move forward efficiently. We are committed to looking after any of our people who may be impacted by these proposed changes, and they will continue to have ongoing access to the company’s support and mental health services.”

Mr Langfelder said Metricon was rebalancing the business’ focus over the next 18 months on executing builds as quickly and efficiently as possible whilst maintaining equilibrium in the pipeline.

“We have previously said that our company has a proven history of success and remains profitable and viable, with the full support of our key stakeholders – this remains the case today,” he said.

Mr Langfelder said Metricon was still expected to continue to contract on average 100 homes per week, in line with pre-pandemic levels. “Our future construction pipeline shows no sign of slowing down with more than 600 site-starts scheduled for 2023,” he said.

In an email to staff on Tuesday, Metricon said it would be holding a virtual town hall this week “to provide you with further updates on our business, current market conditions and plans for the future”.

“We do not underestimate the effect that this review is likely to have on some of you,” the directors wrote.

“We are committed to working through this process as thoroughly and efficiently as possible, and to keep you updated as we progress… Despite the current challenges across our industry, we remain stable as a business with full support from our key stakeholders.”

The Australian building industry has been plagued with escalating issues that have already seen Gold Coast-based Condev and industry giant Probuild enter into liquidation in recent months, while smaller operators like Hotondo Homes Hobart and Perth firms Home Innovation Builders and New Sensation Homes, as well as Sydney-based firm Next have also failed, leaving homeowners out of pocket and with unfinished houses.

The crisis is the result of a perfect storm of conditions hitting one after the other, including supply chain disruptions due largely to the pandemic and then the Russia-Ukraine conflict, followed by skilled labor shortages, skyrocketing costs of materials and logistics and extreme weather events .

The industry’s traditional reliance on fixed-price contracts has also seriously exacerbated the problem, with contracts signed months before a build gets underway, including the surging costs of essential materials such as timber and steel.

It comes after it recently emerged that Australia recorded a staggering 3917 liquidations or administration appointments across all industries during the 2021-22 financial year.

The construction sector led the charge, representing 28 per cent of all insolvencies, although firms from countless industries also failed in the face of soaring inflation and interest rate pressures, Covid chaos, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions.

There were 1536 collapses in NSW, with Victoria recording 1022, Queensland 665, WA 350, South Australia 196, 91 for the ACT, 29 for Tasmania and 28 in the Northern Territory.

[email protected]

— with Alexis Carey

Read related topics:Brisbane

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Categories
Australia

Thousands flock to Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair with millions made for local art industries

A group of women looks at paintings and pottery on display inside an art gallery.

Pottery, paintings and pandanus mats detailing stories from First Nations artists across the country have drawn large crowds at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF).

A major event for art lovers around Australia, the fair is held every year at the Darwin Convention Center as a way for talented Indigenous artists to bring their unique pieces to one central location and share their stories with the public.

This year’s event is expected to bring in millions of dollars for the 78 art centers represented at the fair, delivering an economic boost to remote communities around the country.

Two women look through fabrics hung on racks inside an art gallery.
Hand-dyed fabrics from Anindilyakwa Arts. (ABC News: Peter Garnish)
A crowd of people walking through the aisle of an art gallery, with the words "Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair" on a sign above them.
DAAF attracted crowds over the weekend. (ABC News: Peter Garnish)

DAAF chair Franchesca Cubillo said arts and culture in remote regions were the “lifeblood of any community”.

“They are the place where opportunities flourish, be it textile design and fashion, or artists sharing the rich history of bark painting or western desert painting,” she said.

A smiling woman sitting and speaking into a microphone as an art fair takes place in the background.
Franchesca Cubillo is a Larrakia, Bardi, Wardaman and Yanuwa woman.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)
A series of painted ceramic pots on display inside an art gallery.
Ceramics by Hermannsburg Potters — a crowd favourite.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)

But the fair was not just a chance to “share our culture as a gift to the nation”, Ms Cubillo said.

It also allowed artists to earn a wage.

Two people stand at a desk to pay for an artwork, as an art fair goes on in the background.
The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) has seen $11 million in sales over the past five years.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)
Three people looking at brightly colored traditional Aboriginal paintings hung on the walls of an art gallery.
Attendees admired the intricacy of desert styles.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)

“They’re able to secure an economic return, and that will allow that next generation of First Nations people to feel empowered — to actually start to think about, ‘What might a business look like, operating out of my community?'” she said.

“We’ve got remarkable artists working out of art centres, but what if we had a modeling agency operating out at Gapuwiyak, for those remarkable young men who were a part of our Country to Couture [fashion show]?”

A woven turtle sculpture on a table, as an art fair goes on in the background.
A woven turtle sculpture from Erub Arts.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)
A woman taps her card on a card reader held by another woman, in front of black walls hung with Aboriginal art works.
Art fairs provide much-needed economic opportunities in remote communities.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)

Knowledge shared between cultures and generations

For Karen Rogers, an artist from Ngukurr Arts Centre, the fair was also a chance to pass down skills to family.

“We’ve got my son at the moment, just teaching him how to do lino printing, printing on material,” she said.

“He’s been doing a good job, like framing canvas. I reckon art centers can offer a lot of things for young people, career pathways.”

A smiling woman standing in front of a series of brightly colored artworks displayed on a dark wall, inside a gallery.
Karen Rogers, an artist from Ngukurr Arts.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)
A woman scans her card on a card reader held by another woman in front of Pandanus mats hanging on a wall.
Pandanus mats from East Arnhem Land.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)

Ms Rogers said it was fascinating learning about other Indigenous cultures through art, and finding common links.

“This one from Torres Strait, I was really interested because I speak Kriol and they speak different Kriol,” she said.

“They’ve got a dictionary. It was amazing seeing it, because they speak a little bit different to our way of speaking. It was inspiring.”

Two men in traditional Torres Strait Islander costume dance inside an art gallery, before a crowd.
The Abai Sagulau Buai Dance Team from Badu Island in the Torres Strait performing at the fair. (ABC News: Peter Garnish)
pandanus jewelry
Pandanus jewelery is always popular with visitors.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)

Diversity on display

From the tropics to the desert, each art center brought its own languages, styles and practices to the floor of the convention centre.

Lex Namponan, from Wik and Kugu Arts Centre, said his father was a major source of inspiration.

“We [saw] our dad when we were 14, 15 doing sculptures and bark painting and everything,” he said.

A man in a plaid shirt sitting down in front of a series of brightly colored paintings and sculptures on display in a gallery.
Lex Namponan, a sculptor with Wik and Kugu Arts. (ABC News: Peter Garnish)

“As we were growing [up] … it gave us the idea for what we’re doing, and now we’re here, traveling around with all our colleagues.

“I’ve got a big show coming up from this moment, back to home, going out country collecting timbers – milky pine, clays, white clay, red clay – from the ground.”

The art fair runs until 4pm today.

A series of sculptures in the shape of dingoes lined up on the floor of an art gallery, in front of paintings displayed on walls.
Lex Namponan’s dingo sculptures.(ABC News: Peter Garnish)

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Categories
Entertainment

Gary Lang’s Waŋa dance collaboration explores ancient and modern beliefs about death

A man and a woman in ceremonial dress on stage.

The performance of Waŋa — which means spirit — starts behind a thin veil, with a glimpse of the “in-between world” and an ancient Yolŋu funeral ceremony.

Telling the story of a spirit’s journey after death, Larrakia choreographer Gary Lang has worked with Rirratjŋu lore man and ceremonial advisor Banula Marika to create the performance.

“This performance is called Spirit and it’s the spirit of the Dhuwa clans,” Mr Marika said in Yolŋu Matha, with assistance from an interpreter.

“When I pass, my spirit will travel back to my homeland, the homeland that we’re telling this story about.”

A group of dancers surrounded by smoke on stage.
The spirit world is said to be joyful about a spirit’s return after death.(Supplied: Paz Tassone)
Two dancers perform the spirit's journey.
Waŋa is set to music by Darwin Symphony Orchestra.(Supplied: Paz Tassone)

“This is also my other home and place where my spirit comes from and my clan.”

The collaboration between the NT Dance Company, MIKU Performing Arts and Darwin Symphony Orchestra attempts to capture the pain and the relief of a spirit’s passing.

Mr Lang said his late grandmother also taught him about the spirit world.

“She said ‘what happens Gary, in the spirit world, when that spirit has to come to the physical world, there’s tears of sadness there because it’s a loss and there’s tears of joy in the physical world’,” Mr Lang said.

A portrait of two men in front of a stage.
The performance is a collaboration between Gary Lang and Banula Marika.(ABC News: Felicity James)

“and [after death] it works in reverse, there’s tears of sadness because there’s a loss and there’s tears of joy because it’s going back home.”

He said the performance tried to represent the process of passing through a veil from the physical world into an “in-between world”.

“We don’t know that in-between world,” he said.

“Between that veil and before you actually step into the heavens, I think that’s where all the ceremony happens in culture.

Waa 3
Gary Lang describes his works as ‘Indigenous ballet’.(Supplied: Paz Tassone)

“That it helps you to leave all the physical attachments behind and then you step into the world of wonder.”

Funeral ceremonies can last for days, weeks or months in Yolŋu culture, including in Mr Marika’s community of Yirrkala.

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Categories
Entertainment

Master Arnhem Land artist Margaret Rarru Garrawurra wins top prize in 2022 NATSIAA’s with sweeping woven sail

A smiling woman wearing a bright orange jacket standing in front of a large thatched artwork, inside an art gallery.

A sweeping, large-scale woven sail, once used on fishing boats between Arnhem Land and Indonesia prior to colonization, has won first prize in the prestigious National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.

Six other artists have won category prizes including bark painting and multi-media works, picked from 63 finalists from over 200 entries.

This year the NATSIAA’s became the richest art award in the country, with $190,000 in the overall prize pool and a doubling of the top prize to $100,000.

These are the winners.

Telstra Art Award

Women sitting beside a large woven artwork.
Margaret Rarru Garrawurra with her winning work.(ABC News: Pete Garnish)

The major prize this year went to senior Yolngu artist Margaret Rarru Garrawurra for Dhomala (pandanus sail).

Ms Garrawurra, who lives in Milingimbi in north east Arnhem Land, recreated the type of sail used on Macassan fishing by boats, which came to trade with Yolngu in north east Arnhem Land prior to colonisation.

A photograph of an orange and black woven sail

The weaving style used in the piece was taught to her by her father, who was taught by his father.

The work features the rich black plant dye Ms Garrawurra has become renowned for, which she gathers and prepares herself.

Friend and sister Helen Ganalmirriwuy, who helped interpret for Ms Garrawurra, said that of all the mediums her sister works in, weaving is “her favorite in her heart”.

General Painting Award

An intricate painting of white markings scrawled across a black canvas.
Ngangkari Ngura, by Betty Muffler.(Supplied: MAGNT)

Indulkana artist Betty Muffler won the General Painting Award with a piece titled Ngangkari Ngura (Healing Country).

Bark Painting Award

A woman stands next to a bark painting featuring cream-coloured water spirit figures and a red and pink sea.
Yirrkala elder Meriki Ganambarr-Stubbs with the late D Yunupingu’s winning work Yunupiŋu —The Rock.(Supplied: MAGNT)
wider d yunupingu work
D Yunupingu’s work among other finalists.(Supplied: MAGNT)

The Bark Painting Award this year recognized a work titled Yunupingu (the rock) by D Yunupingu from Yirrkala, who died in 2021.

Works on Paper Award

A black and white photo of a man, with a collage of flowers edited into the background.
Detail of Gary Lee’s winning piece for Works on Paper Award, titled Nagi.(Supplied: MAGNT)
A man sitting in front of a black-and-white portrait handing on a wall in a gallery. He wears a pearl necklace.

Larrakia man Gary Lee, from Garramilla/Darwin, won the Works on Paper Award with a pastel, pencil and digital print work titled Nagi.

Wadjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award

Two elderly women in an art gallery, sitting in front of a large woven fish trap suspended behind them.
Bonnie Burangarra and Freda Ali Wayartja with their work that won the Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award.
A picture of the inside of a woven basket.
A large cylindrical thatched artwork hangs from the ceiling of an art gallery.

A joint work by Bonnie Burangarra and Freda Ali Wayartja from Yilan in the Northern Territory won this year’s Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award. The work is titled An-gujechiya.

Multimedia Award

artwork by Jimmy Thaiday
A still from Jimmy Thaiday’s winning work for the Multimedia Award, Beyond the Lines.(Supplied: MAGNT)
Three people sitting on a settee watching a video on a large screen, inside a dark room inside an art gallery.

A video work by Jimmy John Thaiday from Erub in the Torres Strait,titled Beyond the Lineswon this year’s Multimedia Award.

Emerging Artist Award

A beaming woman standing in front of a large artwork hung on a black wall with her hands on her hips.
Louise Malarvie with her winning work.(Supplied: MAGNT)

The Emerging Artist Award, given to an artist in the first five years in their practice, this year went to Louise Malarvie from Kununurra, for a work titled Pamar Yara.

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Categories
Australia

Prize money doubles for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, making it Australia’s richest art prize

Prize money doubles for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, making it Australia's richest art prize

The winners of Australia’s biggest and most prestigious Indigenous art awards will be announced in Darwin tonight, with each to take home a share of what’s now the richest art prize in the country.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards takes entries from across Australia and all types of visual arts, from bark paintings and traditional weavings, to digital works and sculpture.

This year the overall winner will be awarded $100,000, bringing the top gong in line with the first prize in the annual Archibald Prize.

It’s recognition that curator and Arabana, Mualgal, and Wuthathi woman Rebekah Raymond is “overjoyed” to see paid to the artists involved.

“I think [the increased prize money] really shows a commitment to celebrating these artists,” she said.

“It shows an understanding that the vibrancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art practice is at a global level, and the prize pool needs to respect and reflect that.”

A sign saying 'gallery changeover in progress, with two people carrying boxes and painting on walls behind it.
The winners will be announced at a gala event in Darwin on Friday night.

Six other winners of individual categories will take home $15,000, an amount tripled this year by long-time awards sponsor Telstra.

The combined total of $190,000 is the biggest for any art prize in Australia.

Dozens of finalists from hundreds of entries — and seven winners

The winners will be announced at a gala event in Darwin on Friday night, which coincides with the opening of the two-week Darwin Festival.

A panel of three judges have narrowed more than 200 entries down to 63 finalists, which have been installed together for the annual — free — blockbuster exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).

A woman stands in a darkly-lit gallery with out-of-focus, colorful artworks installed around here
Ms Raymond and two other judges have picked seven winners out of 63 finalists.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

‘Expanding practices, pushing boundaries’

A winner for the overall prize is chosen from among the finalists, as well as one for six categories including:

  • General Painting Award
  • Bark Painting Award
  • Works on Paper Award
  • Wadjuk Marika 3D Award
  • Multimedia Award
  • Emerging Artist Award

Now in its 38th year, the NATSIAA’s have celebrated some of the art world’s biggest names and most influential figures, from Djambawa Marawili and Betty Muffler to Vincent Namatjira and Kaylene Whiskey.

While the stories and techniques behind some of the bark paintings, weavings and carvings are ancient and traditional, Ms Raymond said it’s a mistake to think that only the younger artists are experimenting and innovating.

“There’s been amazing innovations within bark painting, especially by senior ladies [from north east Arnhem Land],” she said.

“These are contemporary works — they’re carrying on art that’s been around from time immemorial but they’re expanding practices, they’re pushing boundaries.

Artist Dhambit Munungurr sits in her wheelchair, smiling, with her hands raised in celebration.
Previous bark painting winner Dhambit Munungurr is among the senior Yirrkala ladies experimenting with new color palettes.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

On display online, People’s Choice Award up for grabs

This year’s exhibition will again be accessible online, which has been the case since the first year of the pandemic.

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Categories
Entertainment

National Indigenous Fashion Awards in Darwin showcases growing fashion industry

A group of fashion models stand in a line on the stage. A woman in a colourful dress stands in front of them.

First Nations fashion is about much more than just clothes.

According to one of the people behind the National Indigenous Fashion Awards, the fast-growing industry is a gateway for greater recognition of First Nations people and culture more broadly.

“When we come together as Australians to make decisions around things like an [Indigenous] voice to parliament … people will have a better understanding,” Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation Chair, Franchesca Cubillo, said.

“Because they’ve had those conversations with First Nations people, because they’ve bought those textiles or they’ve seen paintings or fashion.

“All of these important first steps allow First Nations people to take their place in Australia and be valued and appreciated.”

National Indigenous Fashion Awards, 2022, photo by Dylan Buckee.
The awards started during COVID lockdown in 2020. (Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

The third annual NIFAs — which see Indigenous designers and artists from all over the country recognized for their work — were held in Darwin last night.

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Categories
Business

Westpac, CBA and NAB banks close 37 branches, 182 jobs lost

Westpac, CBA and NAB banks close 37 branches, 182 jobs lost

Dozens of major bank branches are set to be closed over the next few months which will see 182 Australians lose their jobs, according to the Finance Sector Union.

In total, 37 branches will be shuttered across the nation, with the union describing the closures as reaching “crisis point”.

Westpac Group is making the most dramatic cuts with 24 branches being shut down across the country.

In NSW, Westpac branches in the suburbs of Lakemba, Engadine, Corrimal and Kingscliff will be shuttered in coming months, while Queensland’s branches in Ashmore, Nerang and Rockhampton will also be shut.

The closures will also hit Westpac’s Western Australian branches based on Mandurah and South Perthwhile the berrimah branch in the Northern Territory has also been cut.

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The Finance Sector Union said it had campaigned against branch closures for many years but is now seeking government intervention to protect local economies and save what’s left of Australia’s bank branch network.

“This latest list of closures means the big four have closed more than 550 bank branches across Australia since January 2020,” said Finance Sector Union (FSU) national secretary Julia Angrisano.

“We must act to stop the banks walking away from communities in our suburbs and towns. It’s time to examine the impact of these closures which have hit hundreds of communities across the country.”

Others set to close down as part of the Westpac Group include St George’s NSW branch in Five Dockthe Bank SA’s branches in Munno Parra and St Peterswhile the Bank of Melbourne will also lose seven branches.

The Bank of Melbourne branches include Croydon, Coburg, Fitzroy, Sunbury, Footscray, 114 William St Melb and Mornington.

Meanwhile, the NAB is closing nine branches across three states, including sites located in Lavington, Narrandera, Corrimal, Figtree, Cronulla and Maroubra in NSW, Wynnum in QLD and North Melbourne in Victoria.

Two states will be impacted by branch closures by the CBA, including the NSW suburbs of Annandale, Toongabbie and Lindfieldas well as Drysdale and Woodend in Victoria.

Ms Angrisano said communities depend on the banks to deliver financial services and feared the current trend would mean no branches in the future.

“The banks notify the FSU about upcoming closures. In this case, two banking brands are being withdrawn from the same location in Corrimal, NSW. Imagine the impact of losing two more banks in the same suburb?,” she said.

She said the banks had failed to support local communities and cost savings from branch closures were designed to increase the banks’ already huge profits.

“We need an inquiry into bank branch closures to assess the impact on local communities when the banks pull out of suburbs and towns,” she said.

“The UK has a formal ‘community impact assessment test’ and we need a similar test to ring-fence our branches and make sure banking services the public which they derive their profits from.”

A Westpac Group spokesperson said with more than five million digitally active customers, it was investing in services to complement how our customers choose to bank.

“Declining customer use of branches means that in some instances, we may take a difficult decision to leave a branch location. In these instances, we continue to support our customers with access to banking services via Bank@Post, telephone, mobile and virtual banking,” they said.

“We take steps to ensure customers are notified in advance about the changes and are directly connected with the services they need to continue to do their banking. For those who are new to digital banking, or may require more assistance with the changes, we provide dedicated support and education to make the transition easier.

They added that the “majority” of affected employees would secure a new role within the group.

Krissie Jones, from NAB executive retail, said as more and more customers are choosing to bank online, we’ve made the difficult decision to close some branches that receive less customer visits.

“Increasingly Australians are banking digitally, with more than 94 per cent of customer interactions now taking place over the phone, by video or online,” she said.

“While these branches will no longer be there, we will still be there for our customers – just in different ways,” she said. “Over the past few years, fewer customers are coming into branches to do their banking and foot traffic has lessened, which has been accelerated by Covid.”

She added there will be no job losses at NAB and the branch team will also be working with customers over the coming weeks to talk with them about the various banking alternatives available.

CBA did not respond to news.com.au’s request for comment before publication.

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Categories
Entertainment

Couture and culture combine for sold-out Indigenous fashion show in Darwin

Couture and culture combine for sold-out Indigenous fashion show in Darwin

First Nations designers and artists from across the country have come together in Darwin to showcase some of the nation’s leading Indigenous fashion.

The Country to Couture fashion show has been held on Larrakia Country, in Darwin, as part of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair.

Artistic director, Shilo McNamee, said 18 designers and artists took part in two sold-out shows.

“We’ve had so much interest from all these amazing designers, artists and creatives, so we’ve got two really big shows,” she said.

A woman walks away from the camera on a fashion runway. She wears wings made out of grass.
A model showcasing a design from Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance. (Supplied: Dylan Buckee)
a female model wearing a headpiece
A design from Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts in collaboration with Aly De Groot Art. (Supplied: Michael Jalaru Torres)

‘Culture is a very important thing’

Wendy Hubert, an artist from the Juluwarlu Art Group in Western Australia, designed and modeled clothes for the show.

An older Indigenous woman standing next to a young Indigenous man with a big screen and blue spotlights in the background
Wendy Hubert and Wimiya Woodley. (ABC NewsMitchell Abram)

She said it was a pleasing experience to showcase Indigenous culture.

“Culture is a very important thing that we share with others … And you have to feel good to share your culture,” Ms Hubert said.

“To share and acknowledge ourselves, to be proud of ourselves, to have pride in yourself and be accountable.”

Wendy’s grandson Wimiya Woodley also took part in the show, and was his first time taking to the runway as a model.

A man with curly hair and wearing a fur coat stands on a fashion runway.
A design by Linda Puna from Mimili Maku Arts, in collaboration with Unreal Fur.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)
A man with curly hair looks into the camera. He is wearing a fur jacket.
A design by Linda Puna from Mimili Maku Arts, in collaboration with Unreal Fur.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

“I’m feeling pumped to show my family’s culture, being around all these other First Nations people, it’s very empowering he said.

“We’ve come a long way as blackfellas… and to be in this venue in the capital of the NT… it’s very magical.”

A woman wears a colorful scarf and looks into the camera against a black background.
A design by Ngali by Denni Francisco, with textile adapted from Lindsay Malay.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

‘Carrying our stories’

Creative Director Shilo McNamee said she had been blown away by the response to this year’s Country to Couture events.

“Audiences are really excited to come and support the show, support designers and artists,” she said.

“There are quite a few local people involved in the show, we’ve got local talent on stage as our closing performances… so it’s great that Darwin people could come get behind it.”

A woman wears a colorful turban and a white t-shirt with a black background.
A model wearing a design by Western Australia’s Juluwarlu Art Group.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)
A man wearing a colorful jumpsuit stands on a runway.
A Gantharri by Bobbi Lockye design on the catwalk.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

Bobbi Lockyer, a designer who also took part in the show, said she was encouraged by the response to the event.

“It’s so important because it’s a way of carrying our stories through and showcasing our incredible resilience and talent,” she said.

“It’s really incredible to be able to include my culture and include my art, and the storytelling through the pieces in my designs.”

The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair continues with the National Indigenous Fashion Awards and a public program of events beginning on Friday.

country to couture, indigenous, fashion, darwin, festival, runway, nt, northern territory, nagula jarndu art center
A brightly colored entry from Nagula Jarndu Art Centre.(Supplied: Dylan Buckee)

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