By ERWIN CHLANDA
Public funds for the Mbantua Festival have not been properly acquitted, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet stated this afternoon.
The Federal Government gave the Arrulka Business Aboriginal Corporation grants totaling a $1.3m.
A spokesman for the department said: “We can confirm Arrulka has not provided the Department with an acquittal report that meets the requirements of the corporation’s funding agreement.
“Arrulka has been asked to resubmit an acquittal report that meets its obligations under its funding agreement.
“The onus is on Arrulka to meet the requirements stipulated in its funding agreement,” the statement says. It was issued after Arrulka director Neville Perkins claimed yesterday in a statement to the Alice Springs News Online: “We have done our acquittal report, and we have complied with the grant conditions.”
The News is seeking comment from Mr Perkins and his co-director and daughter Krystal Perkins (centre of the photo, pictured in the All the Perks office in 2010 with her cousin Jenny Perkins, photo from our archive).