Time to wipe out graffiti

GRAFFITI vandalism will become a much more serious offence if the State Government follows through with a proposal to make graffiti punishable by a jail term.
Casey Council has battled for three years to have the stupid and messy activity stopped but the government has so far ignored the council’s pleas for assistance with the program.
I’ve had some issues with the manner in which some councillors promoted the program but Casey is one of if not the most graffitifree city in Australia.
The government has, no doubt, heard recent opinions suggesting that graffiti along railway tracks could be a government responsibility.
The City of Casey raised this awareness and the fear of an ongoing clean up bill may have been the trigger that brought about proposals for more punitive action by the government.
Cleaning the mess from railway areas once will be extremely costly but exorbitantly costly if the government allows the idiots who plaster walls with spray paint to repeat their mindless habit.
This is an unfortunate cult activity that provides no benefit to the graffitist and is costly and demeaning to the community.
The vandals have been asked to desist and a few have been prosecuted in a mealymouthed effort to reduce the scourge, but, generally, the reaction has been ineffective.
Even in the City of Casey they keep coming back and get away with it.
The Singapore Government has stopped graffiti by adopting a zero tolerance, at least in the main city centre, so why can’t Melbourne?
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said he welcomed the government proposals that included heavier fines and jail terms for the vandals.
He said Casey was the nation’s local government leader in stamping out graffiti and said it was pleasing to hear the government responding to calls to address the social problem on a wider scale.
It is said that vandals will give up if they see their work repeatedly cleaned away but they seem to return often enough even when this is done, so something is needed to make their pet spots harsh environments for them.
Casey has done well but needs more clout and this needs to come from a State Government decree and police activity.