The NSW Government has joined forces with Rotary Down Under to run Graffiti Removal Day, with up to 1,000 volunteers expected to take part in today’s blitz.
NSW Premier and Member for Ku-ring-gai Barry O’Farrell, Attorney General Greg Smith SC, Davidson MP Jonathan O’Dea, Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher and Rotary Down Under Executive Director Bob Aitken AM helped clean up graffiti in Gordon today with at least a dozen volunteers.
“The large turnout will send a strong message to graffiti vandals that the NSW Government and the community will not tolerate their senseless criminal behaviour,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“Graffiti costs the community an estimated $100 million a year and it’s a blight on local amenities,” he said.
“The NSW Government has sent a strong message to graffiti vandals that their behaviour will not be tolerated by increasing penalties.”
The toughened laws will:
- Require juvenile graffiti vandals to appear before the court for a graffiti offence;
- Give courts the power to:
- extend the time graffiti offenders spend on learner or provisional licenses;
- limit the number of demerit points they are able to accrue over a specific period;
- Require the cleaning up of graffiti be a condition of any court imposed Community Service Order on graffiti offenders.
“These are tough reforms by any measure,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“I congratulate the volunteers and organisers who have given their time on a Sunday to clean up their neighbourhoods and make this event happen,” he said.
Mr Smith said there has never been a worse time to be a graffiti vandal in NSW. “Vandals who tag buildings are not artists, they are attention seekers and they will get their 15 minutes of fame when they are sentenced in court,” Mr Smith said.
“The NSW Government has also set up a state-wide graffiti hotline (free call 1800 707 125) and is working with local councils and the community to ensure that graffiti is reported and promptly removed,” he said.
Mr Aitken said volunteers would be supplied with cleaning material, safety equipment and training on how to safely remove graffiti.
“This is a unique opportunity for individuals, community groups, sporting clubs, businesses and other organisations to be involved in building civic pride and making their city or town a better place,” Mr Aitken said.
For more information about Graffiti Removal Day, visit the official website www.graffitiremovalday.org.au.
