BY ALEX ARNOLD
10 Jul, 2010 04:00 AM
The Coalition was spreading the word on its anti-graffiti policy in Albion Park yesterday, declaring the driver's licences of spray vandals would be under threat.Under reforms proposed by the Federal Opposition, juvenile graffiti offenders would face a court appearance and the possible loss of their licence or an extension of learning or provisional periods.
Shadow attorney-general Greg Smith said targeting young people's aspirations to have a driver's licence was "a great incentive to make offenders think twice".He denied that it was a waste of police resources, arguing police were disillusioned with what happened with young offenders now.
"(Police) feel that at the moment courts don't have enough power and let a lot of young hoods get out of serious punishment," he said.
"Our proposal is to make graffiti vandals exempt from the Young Offenders Act."
Mr Smith visited a number of graffiti "hot spots" in the Illawarra yesterday, with Liberal candidate for Kiama Gareth Ward and the party's candidate for Wollongong, Michelle Blicavs.
Mr Ward said Wollongong, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven councils together spent more than $500,000 on the removal of graffiti vandalism each year.
However, Kiama MP Matt Brown said the NSW Government had always been tough on graffiti.
He said it had introduced a range of measures to combat the problem, including doubling penalties for graffiti vandalism to 12 months in prison and making it illegal for juveniles to carry spray cans unless it is for education, employment or legal art.