Crackdown on graffiti
The new laws, introduced last week, will effectively double the maximum penalties for graffiti as part of the State Government’s crackdown on antisocial behaviour in Western Australia.
Attorney General Christian Porter said graffiti increased by more than 30 per cent in WA in the past six years.
“Graffiti is just one type of antisocial behaviour the people of this State are fed up with,” Mr Porter said.
“The offence shows complete disregard for private and public property and ultimately costs taxpayers about $25 million every year for government to clean up.
Between January and November last year 191 adults were charged with 473 graffiti offences and five were cautioned.
In addition 277 juveniles were charged with 1473 graffiti offences.
Further, 440 juveniles were either cautioned or referred to a juvenile justice team for 614 graffiti offences and 73 juveniles were charged with 81 offences of being in possession of a graffiti implement.
The Attorney General said the new laws would also make it an offence for retailers to sell graffiti implements such as spray cans to persons under 18 years old, with maximum penalties of $6000 for a first offence and $12,000 for subsequent offences.
This includes spray paint, pens or marker pens, or similar implements with a tip over 6mm wide and that contain a fluid which is not water soluble and can mark a surface.
Mr Porter said the new laws were part of the Government’s serious approach to trying to clean up graffiti in communities.
In December 2008, the Graffiti Taskforce was established.
It has already provided more than $600,000 to local governments and non-profit organisations for graffiti reduction strategies.
A graffiti clean-up referral pilot program has also helped make juvenile graffiti offenders accountable for their actions and aid them to develop insight into the cost, inconvenience and risks associated with graffiti.
In : New Laws
