Shocking examples eh, Fox?

Like those Australian volunteers who put their lives on the line liberating Europe and your kin in WW2?

Shocking too when those 'Nullaboring'(sic) Australians who were suffering themselves from the ravages of enormous loss of their best young men in Europe's war and were recovering from conversion of Australia to a war economy that supported Europe, unselfishly gave refuge and support to thousands of displaced peoples who could not hack Europe any more?

Dreadful examples, dreadful modelling you say? An excuse to vandalise public buildings paid for by the very citizens who also pay their keep via Centrelink.

There are so many books written on the topic
of graffitti and one that might be of interest
is the following:

"Uncommissioned art: the A - Z of Australian
graffitti," by Christine Dew. Published by
Melbourne University Press.

It's worth a look at your regional public library.
Plus I'm sure there's heaps more on the subject
in the 751+ numbers section on your library shelves.

Graffitti is an interesting subject that's worth
browsing. Its interesting learning the difference
between street art and graffitti - and also
seeing where some of the graffitti fits
in to the modern world of art, and why.

Cheers.

Here is something to read too:

"Graffiti is one of the most visible forms of crime, defacing both public and private property. It costs the community around $200 million each year and has emerged as a key priority in crime prevention for Australian states and territories. "

http://www.aic.gov.au/crime_types/property%20crime/graffiti.html

To personalise it, our local greengrocer, who sells good produce but has a struggling business anyhow, had 'uncommissioned art', ie graffiti on his white van while it was parked under the building. After a tussle with his insurer he will finally be getting the work done. Direct costs to him are $500 insurance excess and higher premiums. Add the indirect costs of time off and hire of a replacement van while the work is being done.

We need to make a distinction between graffitti
street art, and tagging - which is signature based
graffitti and to which most people do object.
As I suggested earlier - it is best to read more
on the subject. It is a fascinating one.
The following website explains Street Art in
Melbourne and is only one of the websites available
on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_art_in_Melbourne

The distinction that needs to be made is between legal behaviour and vandalism.

Artists have been allowed and may be paid to paint complimentary street/suburb themes on nominated objects. There is no risk whatever that any artist of MERIT is not noticed and commissioned by someone to do work. There is no risk either that any legitimate person would set out to desecrate, destroy and draw attention to himself and his gang.

The remaining 99.9% are destructive, attention-seeking scum who need to be identified, collared and frog-marched into a court for their just desserts.

What I really object to apart from the waste of taxpayers' money on security and repair, is the loss of access, freedom to move and freedom to go about our private business without the hundreds of public and private surveillance cameras that criminals make obligatory in modern times.

Vandalism IS a red flag for generalised anti-social behaviour. It is important that the offenders be reported.

Graffiti vandalism is often the first step to a life of crime. As its carried out in the night opportunities arise to commit other petty crimes, car break-ins, burglary, and onward to worse.

A small known fact is the frightening impact tagging has on some elderly people. Innocent elderly citizens can become afraid to leave their houses after they have been tagged.

Neighbourhoods tagged with graffiti give the subconscious impression the authorities are no longer in control. This has the dual effect of causing people to lose faith in the police and for criminals to become emboldened.

As the Council Officer responsible for creating and implementing the Auckland City Zero Tolerance Graffiti Program I might possibly know more on this topic than 99% of the people in Australia.

We introduced a multifaceted program over 12 years ago that involved free eradication for the public, surveillance and apprehension of graffiti vandals, and an effective education package delivered to primary school children with the aim of stopping them before they start. As mentioned previously we also offered artist the opportunity to do commissioned street art on public and private walls.

As successful as the program is, Auckland still spends over $2 million per annum on eradication.