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6 KATHERINE TIMES, WEDNESDAY JULY 10, 2013 www.katherinetimes.com.au

Wet canteens the alternative to road deaths?A ROAD-SIDE death has sparked

new calls for a review of dry commu-nities.

Last Wednesday a 47 year-old manwas fatally struck by a car on the Vic-toria Highway, about 10 kilometressouth west of Katherine, near a drink-ing camp on the side of the road in thevicinity of the Binjari turn-off.

Police said initial investigationsinto the incident suggest the man waswalking into town on the north side ofVictoria Highway when another vehi-cle stopped on the southern side of theroad to give him a lift.

Senior Sergeant Clint Sims saidthe pedestrian was hit by a 4WDheading west as he attempted to crossthe road.

“Tragically, the man was killed in-stantly.

“The 61 year-old male driver ofthe 4WD was taken to Katherine Hos-pital by St John Ambulance sufferingshock.”

The death comes only weeks aftertwo people were killed near a drink-ing camp on the Central ArnhemHighway, 60km west of Beswick, atthe end of May.

Beswick elder Eddie Kennedy saidstrict alcohol laws in communitieshad to be blamed for their deaths.

“We cannot drink in our commu-nities - our people have to go some-where else,” he said in May.

“(But) we cannot look after outown (people) there.”

After Wednesday’s crash on theVictoria Highway, Katherine Mayor,Fay Miller, said it was time to reviewdry communities that force commu-nity members who want to have adrink to gather at places outside ofcommunity boundaries - often along-side major highways.

“I am in favour of very well or-ganised community clubs which lookinto the responsible serving of alco-hol in communities,” Ms Miller said.

She said she would only supportthe supply of mid-strength beer incommunities, with a limit of six cansper person per day, an no spirits.

“I do believe everyone has got theright to have a drink at the end of theday,” Ms Miller said,

Member for Katherine, WillemWestra van Holthe, said he is also insupport of ‘wet canteens’ and new al-cohol policies.

“The death in Katherine last weekwas a terrible tragedy and I extend my deepest sympathies to the victim’sfamily,” he said.

“I support managed supply ofliquor in communities where thosecommunities have expressed an inter-est and are prepared to adhere to Al-cohol Management Plans,” Mr Westravan Holthe said.

He said the Federal Governmentwas refusing to “work side by sidewith aboriginal people and the Terri-tory Government on this initiative”.

“The Territory Government will

work with the Katherine RegionalAction Group to finalise the alcoholManagement Plan for the KatherineRegion.”

Roper Gulf Shire Mayor TonyJack said in May young people in re-mote communities

“Nowhere in their lifestyle are theyseeing responsible drinking behaviour... it’s deadly and people are dying un-necessarily.”

Mr Jack said it was time for gov-ernment to implement communityprograms that “result in responsibledrinking behaviour”.

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Barthulhatutors joinforces for artexhibition

THE first exhibition of artwork from BarthulhaWebs tutors opened a Godinymayin Yijard RiversArts and Culture Centre last Friday.

The collection, called Merge, is a collaboration ofprints, weaving, paper art, felting, and jewellery cre-ated by 11 tutors, who teach their craft at the annualBarthulha Webs workshop, held in Katherine since2009.

Contributors to the exhibition include Kerryn Tay-lor, Boronia Saggers-Shibori, Winsome Jobling, ZoeCrowder, Dorothy Bienuwaga, Waltraud Reiner, RitaCameron, Dorcas Thompson, Michael Roseth, PetaSmith and the project’s artist director, Jayne Nankiv-ell (pictured).

“It is the fifth year of Barthulha Webs but our firstexhibition of the tutors,” Ms Nankivell said.

Ms Nankivell said in collaboration with AdrianneKneebone, the project and the exhibition grew out ofbringing artists in the region together to exchangeideas and learn.

“The exhibition is a taste of the sort of artists whowe have working on the project,” Ms Nankivell said.

“A strong part of the project is developing artistsin the Katherine Region.”

She said Barthulha Webs started with tutorials inprintmaking and traditional indigenous basket weav-ing and dyeing, but over the years had expanded theskill base with workshops in paper making, millineryfelting, and jewellery.

She said more 100 people from the Katherine Re-gion, around Australia and overseas attend theBarthulha Webs workshops held in August at Spring-vale Homestead each year.

Merge will be on display at Godinymayin YijardRivers Arts and Culture Centre until July 30.