Graffiti Wave Engulfs Darwin

The Territory Opposition wants the Territory Government to take responsibility for eradicating the graffiti plague covering Darwin.

"Graffiti is part of the wave of anti-social behaviour engulfing Darwin and is best handled by the Territory Government,” says Terry Mills, Leader of the Opposition.

"To have any chance of bringing this plague under control we need a coordinated approach that targets the perpetrators and their motivation.

"Ideally, the graffiti vandal would be forced to clean up their mess and pay for the cost of the materials used in removing the graffiti.

"This would reinforce a community standard of zero tolerance towards graffiti.

"Where the graffiti vandal remains unknown, then prison work gangs should be used to remove the graffiti.

"Cleaning off graffiti is exactly the type of work prisoners should be performing in the community.

"It will help them repay their debt to society in a practical way and give them the benefit of bit of physical labour.

"Too many prisoners spend too long sitting around doing nothing.

"Such an approach would allow the Territory Government and the various councils to share the costs of ensuring graffiti is removed as rapidly as possible.

"Fining private property owners is the wrong end of the stick on this issue; it's like double jeopardy for them.

"Anti-social behaviour and criminal behaviour affects us all – so it's appropriate for the Territory Government to accept some responsibility for eradicating graffiti.”

2008-04-24