Spray scourge

By Paul Dunlop
GRAFFITI has been claimed to be a scourge on Pakenham.
Cardinia Shire councillor Brett Owen spoke out last week on what he said was a growing problem around town.
Ugly spray-painted tags and slogans were popping up on buildings and fences, creating eyesores and defacing public and private property, Cr Owen said.
The policeman and Central Ward representative raised the issue at the 20 February council meeting.
Business people and residents have told the News they are tired of seeing unsightly graffiti around town.
Cr Owen said he was keen to reduce graffiti and wanted to explore any other options such as providing a place where young people were free to release their artistic talents.
“People see graffiti as a blight on their town. It’s definitely something we need to look at,” Cr Owen said.
Cr Owen sought details on the council’s current graffiti policy and asked shire officers if Cardinia’s approach was working.
“I’d certainly like to see us doing more to get rid of graffiti problems,” he said after the meeting.
Cardinia general manager of assets and development services Michael Ellis said the council’s policy was to strongly discourage graffiti and reduce its impact.
He said council staff removed any graffiti on shire-owned buildings and encouraged private landholders to take similar action.
Timelines for removal were set at 24 hours for offensive graffiti and five days for all other graffiti.
“We recognise the need to remove graffiti as soon as possible otherwise it encourages others,” Mr Ellis said.
Mr Ellis said the council’s efforts were having an impact.
Cr Owen said he was keen to investigate whether Cardinia should follow the lead set by nearby City of Casey.
The council was told that the Narre Warren-based municipality had previously spent $450,000 on graffiti removal in a single year.
That figure — although reduced in recent years — gave an indication of the extent of the problem in the fast-growing area, Mr Ellis said.
Graffiti has long been a problem for councillors and police and has been described as a scourge of the town by residents.
Earlier this year, Pakenham’s Heritage Springs estate was targeted in an attack that estate management said had caused thousands of dollars of damage.
The graffiti tags covered signs, poles, walkways and power boxes around the estate.
Cardinia Shire council offices and even iconic town buildings such as the Pakenham hall have previous been tagged by graffiti bandits.