What we've done

Our Council has for a long time been concerned about graffiti and drug related crimes and has taken a strong view in seeking greater efforts by both state and local government in discouraging and dealing with graffiti and drug related crime. Our Council members have met with authorities to improve both effort and co-ordination to try achieve reduced graffiti and drug related crime. Several Council members have been involved in actual programmes such as graffiti removal.

As both graffiti and drug related crime require continuing community policing to assist authorities, it is intended to continue these activities including the introduction of an educational campaign to discourage school students from initially "doing" drugs or graffiti. To assist in preventing the spread of graffiti, the information sheet for "victims" of graffiti will again be publicised and distributed.

In the Councils experience, community support for both the law and the enforcement of law varies such that some lawlessness is regarded as serious (eg graffiti) while other lawlessness (eg exceeding the speed limit) is tolerated if not tacitly encouraged, making the role of enforcement officers very difficult.

The Council, by being informed by a diversity of community groups, interests and individuals, has access to a wide range of expertise and thus is in a sound position to emphasise the role of the community and police as law enforcement with the role of law making an activity for the community and the government.

Projects which encourage respect for others and for the law are within the Councils capacity and a number have already been carried out including seeking increased police speeding enforcement in selected locations, parking problems, personal safety design and management issues, graffiti removal and graffiti information sheets. Similar projects will continue.