Cleaning up

By Melissa Grant
UNSIGHTLY graffiti is becoming less of an eyesore in Pakenham with a campaign successfully targeting the scourge.
The Cardinia Shire Council and Victoria Police are winning the war against the dreaded spray can – only 311 incidences of graffiti were reported over the last year.
The figure is a 66 per cent reduction on the previous 12-month period when almost 1000 incidences were recorded.
The results have been welcomed by those involved with the ‘Report, remove, reduce’ campaign, who last October launched a graffiti blitz which saw the clean-up of those 1000 scourges.
Cardinia Graffiti Reference Group chairman councillor Brett Owen said he was extremely happy with the program’s success. “It does mean that the council is winning the war against graffiti, but council is (still) committed to removing graffiti as quickly as possible and educating young people about the consequences of graffiti,” he said.
State Government legislation introduced in April last year has also aided the group in their fight.
Police were given greater power to search people for spray cans and possession of one also became a crime.
People in possession of a ‘prescribed graffiti implement’ cop an on-the-spot fine of $550 or more. Those found spraying graffiti on property visible in public places, without the owner’s permission, face a maximum two years’ imprisonment. “There’s a commitment now from State Government that means there is stronger consequences and power in taking spray cans off people if they have no legitimate use,” Cr Owen explained.
Sergeant Graham Higginbotham, the Victoria Police representative on the Graffiti Reference Group, said it was important to remove graffiti quickly.
“Graffiti-free public places have positive impacts on people’s perceptions of local safety and their visual impressions of townships,” he said. “The removal of it is (also) a disincentive for those people doing it. We can identify trends and certainly our intelligence has grown as to what tags are linked to what people.”
Richard Maugueret, the council’s community safety officer, said another shire-wide clean-up was scheduled for September.
Mr Maugueret said the council was still committed to reducing and containing further incidents of graffiti throughout the municipality.
“We encourage the community to contact the council as soon as they are affected by new graffiti to take advantage of the free graffiti removal kits and paint vouchers,” he said.
Residents can report graffiti to the Cardinia Shire Council on 1300 787 624.