Minister cops a spray over anti-graffiti project

The opposition launched a scathing attack on Police Minister Lisa Neville as she promoted State Government’s anti-graffiti projects at Corio on Thursday.
Shadow police minister Ed O’Donohue led the attack as Ms Neville announced the latest round of grants at Corio’s Multicultural Bus Shelter.
“Lisa Neville can stand in front of as much brightly coloured graffiti for a photo op as she wants,” he said.
“But the reality is that crime continues to soar in the Geelong region while funding for the crime prevention grants program has been cut under Labor.”
Mr O’Donohue said home invasions, car jackings and violent crime had “become depressingly common across the region”.
The Police Minister’s announcement on Thursday would do nothing to prevent crime, he said.
“As Lisa Neville said herself, Victorians don’t feel safe in their homes.”
But Ms Neville said the Andrews Government’s efforts to combat graffiti would help break the cycle of youth crime.
Ms Neville announced that an Ocean Grove mural would be one of 24 projects across Victoria to share in almost $445,000 from the next round of grants.
“Graffiti affects neighbourhood appearance and community confidence in the safety and security of public places,” Ms Neville said.
“What is a cheap thrill for vandals can end up costing businesses, councils and property owners thousands of dollars to remove.”
Ms Neville made the announcement at the multicultural bus shelter, which received $21,000 from the Labor Government’s Graffiti Prevention Grants program in 2016.
Geelong council, Victoria Police, local community groups and artists worked with young people to produce artworks to reduce graffiti at eight bus shelters in Norlane.
Since 2015, the Government has allocated nearly $1.4 million towards 72 anti-graffiti projects across Victoria.
Ms Neville also opened the $250,000 Public Safety Infrastructure Fund crime prevention projects, including lighting, CCTV and good urban design initiatives.
Geelong council applied for the fund in 2016 but the State rejected its application.