MORELAND CITY COUNCIL FUNDED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY GRAFFITI CLEAN-UP
Christine Campbell, Member for Pascoe Vale, today announced that Moreland City Council had secured a $20,000 Brumby Government grant to deliver a community graffiti clean-up project.
Ms Campbell said the Brumby Government was taking action to clean up communities across Victoria.
“This State Government grant will support our community, local business and the Moreland City Council to tackle graffiti,” Ms Campbell said.
“Residents and retailers take pride in their neighbourhood and want to contribute to its upkeep. "These grants will help remove graffiti from areas which have been vandalised and increase community confidence.”
Ms Campbell said Moreland City Council will distribute 190 kits to residents, community groups and traders via Coburg Traders Group and Sydney Road Brunswick Association and 15 portable kits - 12 for schools, 2 for traders and 1 for community.
“Graffiti is a scourge in local neighbourhoods, it degrades the properties and the community. It is important that all levels of Government, community groups and traders work together to wipe it out,” Ms Campbell said.
Ms Campbell said this round of graffiti clean-up projects will provide local councils and their communities with five community graffiti removal trailers and more than 4,300 graffiti removal kits and vouchers for paint and anti-graffiti coatings .
She said the Brumby Government has provided $600,000 over two years for community graffiti clean-up projects across the State, with 16 councils this round receiving nearly $300,000 in grants to deliver 18 graffiti clean-up projects.
Ms Campbell said the grants were part of the Brumby Government’s crackdown on graffiti which included the introduction of harsher penalties for offenders with the commencement of the Graffiti Prevention Act in April 2008.
“Under the new laws, the sale of spray paint cans to under 18 year-olds is restricted to discourage graffiti and I urge all local shopkeepers to enforce this, Ms Campbell said.
“Graffiti vandals also face criminal charges, including up to two years in prison and heavy fines of up to $27,000.”
Ms Campell said the Brumby Government has also expanded the Community Correctional Services Graffiti Removal Program, in which offenders on community work orders cleaned up nearly 400,000 square metres of graffiti last year from local neighbourhoods.
“Our tough new laws and our commitment to assisting communities remove graffiti quickly sends a strong message to vandals that graffiti will not be tolerated.”