katherine Times Wed 01 May 2013
Katherine Times; NewspaperNT
2013-05-01
This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.
English
Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Katherine; Katherine (N.T.) -- Newspapers
North Australian News for Katherine Times
Katherine
v. 31 issue 16
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
North Australian News for Katherine Times
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/263181
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/471453
8 KATHERINE TIMES, WEDNESDAY MAY 1, 2013 www.katherinetimes.com.au What sort of public toilets are these? Shame, shame, shame, as children we were taught to think before we act. - Graeme Sartori * * * I think it is going to backfire and they are going to have to clean up elsewhere - having worked in town for a number of years now and seeing that there are people out there that dont care where they go or who has to clean up after them. - Amy Martin *** Alice Springs Plaza charges 50 cents and is maned by some charity and it works well. The toilets are always clean (the several times I have used them anyway) always stocked well and smell pleasant. $2 bit on the exy side but I think its a great idea and (it) couldnt be soon enough. They had want to be clean though - Allison Davidson * * * I understand where it's coming from. They are absolutely disgusting and I refuse to use them. Not sure charging for them is going to keep them clean though. - Kirsty Destro * * * 50 cents is more acceptable. Only to have a clean (and) hygienic amenities. If it cant be held to a standard then no. Its bad enough that the past 12 months youd be hard pressed to find hand soap. - Shannon Lingard * * * I think its a great idea and it will make people think twice about using then and trashing them. Overseas you pay to use the toilets and they are kept in amazing conditions. - Sofia Kosmatos * * * What a joke ... Like theyre gonna stop people requiring to go to the toilet. See what happens when the center starts smelling like a seweage farm because people start taking a dump near the front door. - Rick Gosper * * * > WEATHER watch Extended four day outlook for Katherine issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, Darwin. Forecast: Partly cloudy with afternoon showers developing late in the week. Light winds tending moderate easterly later in the week. Max temp: 34 to 36 Min temp: 20 to 23 degrees Rainfall in the week until Tuesday: Tindal: 0mm | Katherine Country Club: 0mm Circulated in Katherine, greater Katherine district, Darwin, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and available throughout most other centres in our great Northern Territory. Katherine Times Tuesday 23/04/2013 DRAW 1001 41 35 19 12 27 39 07 SUPP 08 21 Wednesday 24/04/2013 DRAW 3237 44 18 07 39 13 45 SUPP 43 01 Thursday 25/04/2013 DRAW 884 26 13 22 18 04 17 POWERBALL 20 Saturday 27/04/2013 DRAW 3315 40 15 33 08 43 18 SUPP 14 25 SUPER 66 897116 POOLS 27/04/2013 DRAW 1448 01 05 13 14 32 35 SUPP 33 Monday 29/04/2013 DRAW 3238 06 23 26 43 32 30 SUPP 03 16 Phone 8972 1111 Fax 8971 0120 Mobile 0477 334 202 Published by Fairfax Media Manager Duana Job duana.job@fairfaxmedia.com.au Editor Annie Hesse annie.hesse@fairfaxmedia.com.au Journalist Tamara Penniket tamara.penniket@fairfaxmedia.com.au Receptionist Sarah Ward sarah.ward@fairfaxmedia.com.au Photographer Darren McConnell 8972 1111 Address: Shop 3, South Gate Shopping, Katherine Tce, Katherine NT 0850 Postal: PO Box 42, Katherine NT 0851 Website: www.katherinetimes.com.au >> Text the editor on 0477 334 202 or email editor.kathtimes@ruralpress.com AS A trainer and mentor Tessa Pollack has had big impact on many peoples lives in the Katherine region. For a people person, she seeks few accolades and prefers to be out of the spotlight, says her husband Clive Pollack. But her work in helping people embrace education and training and subsequently find employment makes her a shining light in our community. She has been a driving force in educating many people, in particular indigenous people, in the fields of tourism and hospitality for more than 13 years. Mr Pollack said she is the ultimate people person, whether she is negotiating with many large organisations around the country or speaking with individuals in Katherines main street. She has taken a particular interest in looking after the social welfare of our communitys youth. He said she always has people approaching her in the street for advice on how they can improve their situation, and she is willing to help. Katherine Town Council mayor Fay Miller said Mrs Pollack was not only friendly and approachable but also a very caring person. She as the patience of a saint, Mrs Miller said. She said her encouragement and support had led to the success of her training programs and the high number of people achieving a qualification and employment. She is an inspirational teacher and mentor, especially for the Jawoyn people, Mrs Miller said. She is a wonderful mentor to all the people shes involved with. I am sure many people are very appreciative of Tessa and her work. Training facilitator Bill Daw said Mrs Pollack was determined and always professional. She has made a wonderful contribution to the community with her work with Nitmiluk, Mr Daw said. Community Hero - proudly presented by Nitmiluk Tours and the Katherine Times Every week the Community Hero celebrated in the Katherine Times receives at $50 Nitmiluk Gorge meal voucher. NOMINATE a quiet achiever and receive a $15 Nitmiluk Gorge meal voucher if your nominee features as the next Community Hero. Email the name and a brief description of your heros achievements (and a photo if you have one) to editor.kathtimes@ruralpress.com or ring the Katherine Times on 8972 1111. There are many people in the Katherine region who do not hesitate to go the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of their friends, families and the community they live in. Those people are often quiet achievers who do not get the recognition they deserve. To celebrate quiet achievers in the region the Katherine Times - with the support of Nitmiluk Tours - proudly presents this weeks Community Hero. From the Mayors desk At last weeks Council meeting the elected members approved the Katherine Town Council Municipal Plan 2013 2018 and the Draft Budget 2013/2014 for public exhibition. These documents will be on KTC website from May 1 for you to comment should you wish to do so. If you do not have a computer at home you are encouraged to visit the library at the Randazzo Building to utilise the online facilities available. I welcome your constructive comments. As is the case each year, elected members and the executive Staff are faced with difficult decisions when preparing the budget for the coming year. Inevitably rising costs impact on the decisions made, and with the limited budget that KTC has in comparison with other municipals and shires throughout the NT there is never enough money to meet the demand of what we would like to see happening throughout the Municipality This year the budget is calculated on a 9% rate increase across the board which is based on 4.1% Local Government indexation and 5% Power and Water increased charges. KTC will be absorbing the additional .1%. Accordingly the Waste Manage ment charge has increased from $229 to $250 and the minimum waste management levy has increased from $81 to $88. The Waste Management charge is levied for the provision of a 240 litre bin and free access to the Waste Management Facility. The minimum Waste Management provides for free access to the Waste Management Facility. The Katherine Pedestrian Management Study findings were also tabled at the Council meeting for Elected Members consideration. The complexity of the report and our response to the document will be as a result of an Elected Members workshop in the very near future. Campervans and caravans have started rolling in just in time to make the most of the fishing season, and slightly cooler Top End temperatures. The dry season officially starts on May 1, and the tourists are on cue this year. The influx of tourists has been most noticeable in the car park at the Katherine Visitors Centre in the last week, with a lot of the vehicles towing a boat or they have a tinny attached to the roof racks. There also appears to be more European backpackers in town. And the lines at the shopping centre are getting longer. Of course this is what many business people in Katherine have been waiting for, and rely on to make a living. When asking random tourists about their itinerary, RV travellers and backpacker say they are drawn to Katherine as a services hub, seeking to replenish stocks of food and fuel or go to the doctors. However, its a competitive marketplace as the same people also say they are on a strict budget, choosing activities that are free like self guided bush walking over tours. There is no doubt the numbers are coming, but only time will tell how their dollars add up. > OUR view by Tamara Penniket > LETTERS to the editor ... on Mount Todd mine. I am an Analytical Chemist of 42 years standing and have worked in the Mining Industry for 48 years, my company, North Australian Laboratories Pty Ltd, provide assaying services to the Mt Todd gold mine project, thats my vested interest declared up front. The current Mt Todd site is a potential environmental disaster waiting to happen, the only reason it is not is because of the neutralization and heavy metal deposition treatment that Vista Gold have implemented to clean up the site. If you want to blame someone for the mess then point the finger at multiplex who walked away with some $270 million in tax credits from the previous mill construction phase losses (i.e. real dollars to offset and reduce their taxable income) and left an environmental nightmare for every Territorian. If Vista Gold is not allowed to reopen the mine and clean it up as part of a new mining operation (this can be done with the correct level of monitoring in place from the start by both the owners and the regulators) the responsibility and cost for the clean-up becomes the burden of every Territorian, figures of $50 and $100 million have been bandied about as the cost of a site rectification. Forget that, I believe, the cost would be more like $200 million. This is money that should be spent on hospitals, police stations, roads and services to our people etc. The assay services that my company does for Vista includes environmental assays on every single drill sample taken from the project site. Apart from Gold (Au) and base metal assays we do Sulphur and NAG assays. The sulphur assays allows the Maximum Potential for Acidity (MPA) to be calculated, i.e. how much acid could potentially be produced at the site. The other environmental assay is a Net Acid Generation [NAG] assay; this determines how much acid would actually be produced from the ore and waste rock. These assays are used in waste dump design and management to ensure effective site management. In 48 years working in the industry I can tell you that this level of environmental testing is unprecedented and clearly demonstrates to me that Vista is committed to being a responsible mine manager and a good corporate citizen. The economic benefits that this project will bring to the communities of Katherine and Pine Creek and the whole of the Northern Territory are exceptional and the project should be given every encouragement to proceed to production. - Ray Wooldridge > BUMS up and down to Centro for charging $2 for toilets