The Andrews Labor Government is teaming up with local councils, community groups, police, schools and local businesses to help stamp out illegal graffiti.
Minister for Police Lisa Neville made the announcement at the opening of the Multicultural Bus Shelter program in Corio, which received $21,000 from the Labor Government’s Graffiti Prevention Grants program last year.
Since 2015, the Government has allocated nearly $1.4 million towards 72 anti-graffiti projects across Victoria.
The City of Greater Geelong, Victoria Police, local community groups and artists worked with multicultural groups and young people to produce artworks to reduce graffiti at eight bus shelters in Norlane.
Ms Neville also announced that the Ocean Grove Mural project will be one of 24 projects across Victoria to share in almost $445,000 from the 2017–18 round of grants.
The project will see local primary and high school students working with artists to develop designs for large mural boards, which will be put up at graffiti hotspots at the Shell Road Sporting Precinct.
Graffiti vandalism is costly for communities and property owners and affects the appearance of neighbourhoods. It also influences community confidence in the safety and security of public places.
A ‘What Happens Next’ information pack will also be developed as a resource for Victoria Police, which will use it to educate parents on how to help their children if they get mixed up with graffiti vandalism.
Tackling graffiti hotspots with green walls featuring edible plants, community murals and traffic signal box makeovers are among other projects to be given funding.
Ms Neville also opened the Public Safety Infrastructure Fund, with grants of up to $250,000 available for public safety and infrastructure projects, including lighting, CCTV and good urban design initiatives.
The grants are part of the Government’s Community Crime Prevention Program, which helps promote community safety and prevent crime across the state.
A number of Geelong community groups have expressed the need for more CCTV monitoring across the city to deal with local crime. Local councils can work with the community, traders and police about opportunities for CCTV funding.
The details of a new community-led project to target youth crime in Geelong were also unveiled by Ms Neville.
The $700,000 Geelong Reignite project is working with some of our most at-risk young people, providing them with intensive support to help break the cycle of crime and put them on the right path.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Police Lisa Neville
“Graffiti affects neighbourhood appearance and community confidence in the safety and security of public places.”
“What is a cheap thrill for vandals, can end up costing businesses, councils and property owners thousands of dollars to remove.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Lara John Eren
“By teaching young children about the impacts illegal graffiti has in their own communities and by investing in murals, green walls and other projects, we can tackle graffiti at a local level.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020