VALE SHIRLEY COLLINS

If  anybody  deserves  a  state  funeral  for  extensive  service  to   the  nation, the Territory in particular,  it  is  Shirley Collins .  

The  daughter of  a  Stolen Generation  mother, as a young girl , she  worked in a   Darwin  Chinese soft  drink  factory  and  then   as  a  " Girl  Friday"  in  the Northern Territory News .

She  went on to  play a  large  part   promoting  Aboriginal  art , craft   and  fashion  overseas   and   nationally.  

By  Peter  Simon 

 She  ran  the  highly regarded  Raintree  Aboriginal  Art   Gallery   in   Darwin  from  1986  to 2005.  Over  the  years she  held  exhibitions in   the  USA  for  the  America's Cup  on  Rhode Island  and  in  Japan,  promoting  growing  interest   generally   in    Australia  and   the   Northern  Territory  along  the  way .

Last  year she published her  life story ,above,  which  included my account of the  shabby treatment  she  had received   due to  her  involvement   in  the   Bank of  America  Down Under Tour in the lead  up to the Sydney Olympics  in a  replica of  the  Sydney  Opera  House .

Invited to take part in the 2000  Down Under Tour by the  Australian Tourist   Commission  , Collins  borrowed  $160,000   and  arranged   for  Aboriginal   art   from   parts  of  the Territory to be   shipped  to  America  , some of  it  to  be  sold  along  the  way . 

However , arriving in  America, it was discovered that the  Bank of America  had changed  the terms and conditions , all proceeds from  the  tour    to  go  to the US Olympic Council . She was forced to return to Australia .

The outcome  of  what was   admitted to be  Australian official   bungling  was that she became the acknowledged scapegoat for the mistakes and misinformation of others .  As a result,  Shirley  had  all  her stock seized, she  was  forced to sell her house  and  was  engaged in  long ,  stressful , fruitless  legal  action  to   get   compensation.

One of the spectacular art shows  she staged  in Darwin was the Harold Thomas 1989 " Grandeur of Light" Exhibition .  Thomas, from Alice Springs ,  designed the  Aboriginal flag . The exhibition was launched  by Lady Susan Renouf  , who had to be flown in  aboard  an  RAAF Hercules transport  because of  the  airline strike.   Shirley  had  advised  Lady  Renouf  to wear  fleecy lined underwear  because of  the  cold military plane . 

Flanked by Harold Thomas , centre , and  his son ,Josh, Shirley was snapped with  Lady  Renouf  and  the Northern Territory Administrator, Commodore  Eric  Johnson.

The prominent  British  Conservative  Party  identity,  Lord Alistair McAlpine,  bought the entire exhibition  for  his  Cable  Beach  resort in Broome, Western  Australia . 

Long suffering from cancer,   smiling  Shirley, on a walking frame , attended the June  launch   of  my book ,Big Jim, about the crusading  editor of   the Northern Territory News, Jim Bowditch  . The  funeral service  will take place  August 5 in the Salvation Army Chapel , Anula . 

UPCOMING : Remnants  from Shirley's  fabulous  life .