www.katherinetimes.com.au KATHERINE TIMES, WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6 2013 5

>> newsVolunteerto makeKatherinea saferplace foreveryone

NEIGHBOURHOODWatch NT is urging lo-cals to join forces tohelp make Katherine asafer place to live.

N e i g h b o u r h o o dWatch NT support offi-cer Senior-ConstableTracy-Dale Middletonsaid the group is look-ing for volunteers to“watch their environ-ment and pass impor-tant information on tothe right people”.

“Locals know theirarea, and if locals talkto locals about issues intheir area - such as largebushes which wouldmake good hiding spotsfor offenders, or streetlights that are not work-ing - people can comeup with ideas to makethe area safer and getthe appropriate people -stakeholders and police- to help with solu-tions,” Senior-Consta-ble Middleton said.

Senior-ConstableMiddleton said volun-teers were also neededto report suspicious ac-tivities, conduct safetyaudits to locations, getfeedback from the com-munity and man stallsat functions and events.

“Police can’t beeverywhere all the time,that’s why Neighbour-hood Watch needs vol-unteers to keep theireyes and ears open andreport what they see andhear to the right people.”

To get involved withNeighbourhood Watchin Katherine, contactDuana Job on 0419 658311 and fill out an ap-plication form.

N e i g h b o u r h o o dWatch volunteers arerequired to obtain anOchre Card.

A LIVE animal export market devel-opment unit is going to be created by theDepartment of Primary Industries in anaim to supporting the growth of the liveexport industry.

On Monday Minister for Primary In-dustry, Willem Westra van Holthe, an-nounced a $300,000 a year ongoingfunding investment for the unit whichwill sit within DPIF’s Pastoral Produc-

tion Team and will focus on emerginglive animal trade markets in Asia.

Mr Westra van Holthe said the fund-ing was an important investment in thefuture of the industry.

“The live animal export industry isstill hurting from the CommonwealthGovernment’s 2011 ban,” Mr Westravan Holthe said.

“Many established pastoral opera-

tions have been forced to put their pas-toral properties on the market.

“This will be the first time the De-partment has been given a team and re-sources to focus on emerging marketsand seek out foreign opportunity for ourlocal cattle producers,” Mr Westra vanHolthe said.

“This is about planning for the fu-ture, satisfying current market demands

whilst exploring new market potential.“Asia is hungry for beef and the

Northern Territory has the pastoral landand experience to satisfy new markets.”

Mr Westra van Holthe said the newlive animal export market developmentunit would be part of a strategic plan toreinvigorate the Department of PrimaryIndustries with a renewed focus on sup-porting industry growth.

Govt to invest in live export industry

KATHERINE Regional Arts has anew executive officer.

Musician Bill Grose moved toKatherine to head the organisation lastmonth, after working in tertiary educa-tion and workplace training administra-tion in Canberra for five years.

The classical guitarist said he was ex-cited to be living in Katherine.

“I’ve got friends and family here. Itfeels like coming home, ” he said.

Mr Grose said he liked the “can-doattitude” and the collaborative nature ofTerritory-based artists.

“All the artists tend to know eachother and support each other no matterwhat their genre or style is.”

Mr Grose said his main role was toengage the community in art programs,develop relationships with artists and or-ganisations, to continue mentoring pro-grams and to increase the skills basewithin the region.

He said Katherine was well knownfor its indigenous artists and musicians,while the arts board members includedprinters, writers and fabric artists.

“Katherine Regional Arts have beenputting on a lot of events and (my rolenow is) trying to weave them into on-going programs,” he said.

He said he has begun to develop part-

nerships with Mission Australia, Youth-worx and Djilpin Arts to name a few.

“Being a musician, since arriving intown lots of people want to talk to meabout getting music up and running,” MrGrose said.

He said he would like to see musicgroups rehearse and perform on a regu-lar basis but needed to find suitable ven-ues.

“I would like to get some on-goingprograms happening, maybe a folk andcountry music club, a blues jam and achoir.”

The 47-year-old said he also hasmore ambitious long term projects inmind for Katherine.

“In a year or more down the track

(I’d like to see) a big band or concertband or maybe even a chamber orches-tra.”

He said he wants to form a KatherineMusic Society, and develop an on-goingscreen printing program.

“As well as bringing in visiting ex-perts from Darwin and further-a-field,we are going to try to use some of thepeople from the community who havealready been printing as mentors.

“It’s difficult obviously from logisticpurposes, but we are very keen to getfurther out into the communities.”

Mr Grose studied classical guitar andmajored in ethno musicology inAdelaide, and he has taught music atCharles Darwin University.

Musician Bill Grose is the new Katherine Regional Arts executive officer.

Muso takes over Katherine Regional Arts

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ByTAMARA PENNIKET