Article: Writing's on the wall for vandals

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Writing's on the wall for vandals

Writing's on the wall for vandals
Amy Remeikis
April 22, 2012

BANKSY and his ilk will not be welcome in Brisbane City under ''co-operating'' Liberal-National Party state and local governments.

The lord mayor, Graham Quirk, stood side by side with his former Brisbane City Council colleague turned Premier, Campbell Newman, to announce a $4 million commitment to clean up the city's rail corridors.

Under the agreement, the council and the state government would each commit $2 million to the Brisbane City Council's Taskforce Against Graffiti program over four years.

Originally a joint initiative between the Queensland Police and the council, the program was launched four years ago.

The organisations work together to identify and charge graffiti vandals. Cr Quirk said 374 people had been arrested on 11,500 charges since the program's inception and it had resulted in a 20 per cent reduction in the city's graffiti.

Cr Quirk said Queensland Rail had been the missing component to the taskforce's city-wide success, a factor that would be remedied if he and his LNP team were re-elected in next weekend's local government elections.

''Regrettably, during the time of the Labor state government, we could never get Queensland Rail on board,'' Cr Quirk said.

However, Mr Newman had given an undertaking his government would support the taskforce and bring Queensland Rail to the table.

'It was frustrating for both Campbell and myself during our time in the Brisbane City Council; we always wanted Queensland Rail to come on board,'' Cr Quirk said.

''They were non-complying players; they didn't want to play the game. Now, of course, with the change of leadership in Queensland, Campbell has indicated they will be on board.

''This will be another step forward for Brisbane and it is a sign of the types of things we can do, acting co-operatively for a better Brisbane [if re-elected].''

The $4 million boost will provide for extra security cameras, additional manpower and new technology to help identify graffiti artists' tags to aid police in their arrests.

Mr Newman said he would consider expanding the offer to additional Queensland councils if they were ''prepared to put proper initiatives on the table, to ramp up their efforts''.

''Then we are prepared to look at doing just that as well, in terms of money,'' he said.

But he was less committed on whether the offer would be extended to a Labor-led Brisbane City Council under Ray Smith.

Mr Newman said he wanted to be ''very clear'' that he considered graffiti to be a crime, not art, but he questioned whether members of the opposing political party felt the same.

Mr Newman singled out Labor councillors Shayne Sutton, Helen Abrahams and Kim Flesser as ''refusing to take a stand'' against graffiti during his term as the lord mayor of Brisbane.

But Ms Sutton, the Brisbane City Council Opposition Leader and councillor for Morningside ward, disputed the notion that Labor was soft on graffiti vandals.

''Thanks to his lack of appreciation for culture and the arts, Campbell Newman has always had difficulty distinguishing between graffiti and legitimate, paid public artwork,'' Ms Sutton said.

''Campbell Newman and Graham Quirk's record on graffiti at Brisbane City Council was to introduce new local laws to fine victims of graffiti crime.

''We've always taken a tough approach to graffiti and vandalism and we'll always do everything to fight this suburban blight.''

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/writings-on-the-wall-for-vandals-20120421-1xeb1.html

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏ @Robert_Dow

Another cheap political shot at @QueenslandRail --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8173.0 QR is not the problem @scottemersonmp @theqldpremier @Team_Quirk

====================

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏ @Robert_Dow

@scottemersonmp you are doing a great job at turning operators against you ... @theqldpremier you need to govern for Queensland not mates

[#Metro]

When I lived near rail, graffit would go up, the green paint would go up a few days later, giving them a blank canvas, then because it was blank, the graffiti would go up again, blank canvas.... and repeat.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the different results.

This is the current graffiti paradigm - insanity.

What they should be doing is putting up trellises and planting stuff in front of the sound barriers, vines and stuff. That and a repeating pattern on the rail corridors like wallpaper or public art - like the signal boxes only on a larger scale - than just this cycle of graffiti and green paint.

[ozbob]

Queensland Rail has an extensive anti-graffiti program and has been instrumental in adopting better practice.  Far from the picture painted in the lead article, which is just a political pot shot.

For example:

Queensland Police --> Combating graffiti

Queensland Rail --> Graffiti prevention lesson plans

[somebody]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏ @Robert_Dow

Another cheap political shot at @QueenslandRail --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=8173.0 QR is not the problem @scottemersonmp @theqldpremier @Team_Quirk

====================

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏ @Robert_Dow

@scottemersonmp you are doing a great job at turning operators against you ... @theqldpremier you need to govern for Queensland not mates

Is that link correct?  I don't see what you are talking about.

[ozbob]

It is the link to the OP ...  it is just another belt at QR in part.  QR has an extensive anti-graffiti program and always has.  It is not a missing component as suggested by Mayor Quirk.   Queensland Rail has always been ' on-board ' ...

I recall at an CRG an extensive session on graffiti management.  A lot of resources are put towards the issue.

Premier Newman needs to move past the sour council days.

[Stillwater]

QR has had successes in prosecuting graffiti vandals by monitoring activity and photographing tell-tale 'tags', which have then been passed to police.  In places along major lines (off the top of head, one near Albion station), bushes and shrubs have been planted to cover walls coveted by artists of the criminal variety.  The extensive public art around stations, often provided in conjunction with school children, gives these precincts character while denying the graffiti artists spaces for their rubbish images.

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/graffiti-pest-jailed-after-tagging-spree-on-qr-trains-and-spray-painting-dogs-face/story-e6frfku0-1226294974465

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/2011/01/Graffitijan19.htm

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-rail-graffiti-vandals-caught-out-after-boasting-videos-on-youtube/story-e6freoof-1226115458053

http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/Community/Pages/GraffitiPrevention.aspx

[mufreight]

Another ill informed politicaly inspired beat up against Queensland Rail, a soft target on a slow news day that is not allowed to defend itself.
QR has been quite active in the removal of graffiti from its equipment and infrastructure, no doubt they would like to do more but the money is simply not there and what funds QR does receive granted so grudgengly by Translink and the Treasury simply does not stretch far enough

[ozbob]

I note blog is now open on this article, some interesting comments ...

--> here!

[HappyTrainGuy]

Yeah, its not like Queensland Rail have employees dedicated to graffiti removal/documentation (in conjuction with the QPS who follow up on said documentation) on rollingstock and across the entire network.... oh wait... they do 

I think he should find out just how much effort Queensland Rail and its employees put in during and after the floods when the majority of the CityTrain fleet/network was vandalised let alone the effort they normally put in in documentating, obtaining information (from train crews/station crews and members of the public) and recording vandalism across the entire network, not just in BCC along with working in conjuction with the police and other railway operators.

[Fares_Fair]

I can only go upon what I have witnessed.
In my years of commuting I have seen QR removing graffiti from sound barriers etc. alongside the tracks, and there are systems in place to deter such actions as any CRG member would be aware of.
They also have the problem with regular graffiti attacks on rollingstock.

Not sure on what basis these media statements were made.
Many private buildings along the corridor are set upon, but they are not QR's responsibility IMHO.

The criticism is entirely unjustified from my observations along the tracks.

[O_128]

Have an open day during a line closure, buy a few thousand dollars worth of pain (at wholesale prices you could get a lot) and invite the community to come and paint the corridors.

The mural along the barriers at norman park has been a big success.

[Jonno]

Not sure on what basis these media statements were made.

Guaranteed to be based on no communication with those involved and designed to get political mileage no matter how unsubstanciated.  Yes Yes yes Don't You Worry about That!!!   We have gone back 30 years overnight.    Good Bye Environment.  I was fun whilst it lasted

[Stillwater]

Minister Emerson could do well from a thorough briefing by QR senior management -- open and constructive diologue between minister and those in charge of one of the government's most important agencies.  Once he fully understands QR's structure, operations, planning and strategy, Mr Emerson will be in the position to best influence and represent QR within government.

[mufreight]

Minister Emerson could do well from a thorough briefing by QR senior management -- open and constructive diologue between minister and those in charge of one of the government's most important agencies.  Once he fully understands QR's structure, operations, planning and strategy, Mr Emerson will be in the position to best influence and represent QR within government.

No, Minister Emerson will not need a briefing fron senior QR staff on the problems and solutions for Queensland Rail's operational problems as it is understood that he now has as a Transport Adviser a highly experienced media spin doctor from Translink so the Ministerial Media Statements might improve in their presentation of spin but public transport itself I would not hold ones breath.

[somebody]

he now has as a Transport Adviser a highly experienced media spin doctor from Translink

Didn't that apply in the last government?  Is it the same person or different?

[mufreight]

Different     this one bowls a left handed spin and hands out muffins   

[longboi]

By all means prosecute those who treat it as a big game of "who can put up the most tags" but there are a number of "vandals" who are actually very talented and given the opportunity could be allowed to paint legally along the rail corridor. Not only would this help to eradicate the unhealthy "us vs. them" type culture but would actually liven up some otherwise very dull noise barriers.

A youth engagement program was established in Perth which, among other things, addressed the issue of vandalism on the Transperth network and was actually quite successful in reducing monthly repair costs (to the order of an average $5000 per station from what I've been told).

For those who are interested - http://www.righttrack.wa.gov.au/

The "tough on crime", take no prisoners approach may win a few votes from frightened old biddies but realistically it does nothing but move the problem elsewhere.
It's impossible to keep throwing money at the issue because it will not go away - The only solution in my opinion is to foster legitimate talent and narrow the enforcement to those who risk their lives climbing infrastructure to put a crappy scribble on an overbridge or spray a single line along an entire train .

[#Metro]

Hello Nikko,
It's been a while since we've heard from you 

I agree. When I lived near a rail corridor, it was an endless and pointless cycle of graffiti-green paintover-graffiti-green paintover-graffiti-green paintover POINTLESS INSANITY.

[SurfRail]

It's worth noticing that where there is a positive pArtnerships mural, there is generally no graffiti whatsoever.  Most striking example of this is the entire stretch between South Bank and South Brisbane on the eastern side. 

Paul Scurrah was also big on planting trees in the corridor to obscure the panels.  A lot of that has been done but the trees just aren't mature yet - the trees planted near the Yeerongpilly-Tennyson fork and overbridge are an example of that.