City of Sydney, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Liverpool councils allocating huge funds to fight back against rise in graffiti vandalism
New figures have shown the cost of Sydney’s graffiti epidemic, with cases on the rise and some councils spending millions in ratepayer funds trying to keep streets clean. See the cost here.
Central Sydney
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Sydney. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sydney is in the midst of a graffiti epidemic – with reports of a huge uptick from 2023 – as locals councils reveal they are haemorrhaging millions in ratepayers funds to tackle the rise in attacks.
New data from a digital app Snap Send Solve reveals NSW has seen a 27 per cent increase in graffiti cases reported, with 3318 cases of graffiti this year alone.
However new figures from City of Sydney, Northern Beaches, Parramatta and Liverpool councils show over 40 thousand reported cases and nearly $5 million in clean up fees.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal City of Sydney Council has wtinessed the highest number of cases and expenditure with 38,000 graffiti reports and $3.7m this financial year.
On Sydney’s northern beaches, 2940 cases were reported and up to $500,000 in clean up costs, while Liverpool Council spent $59,220 this financial year with 1271 removals.
Parramatta Council recorded 300 graffiti clean-up service with a budget of $248,000.
The rise in cases has become so bad that Northern beaches Council passed a motion to assemble a “specialised task-force” that they hope will combat property and economic damage done by illegal graffiti that has “created an atmosphere of lawlessness and disorder,” within the community.
Mayor of Northern Beaches Council Sue Heins, said that graffiti has cost ratepayers a considerable amount of money and is taking away from other essential needs for the community.
“Graffiti and tagging is vandalism and a criminal offence, Council deplores this senseless act, and it is clear those who carry out this have no respect for public property,” she said.
“Council continues to identify opportunities to implement grant-funded public art graffiti management programs in partnership with local organisations in the Northern Beaches Youth Inter-agency like Streetwork and Avalon Youth Hub.”
A total of 650 cases of offensive graffiti, including swear words, discriminative language, and inappropriate images were especially prevalent on playgrounds, with other hotspots typically found at town centres, skate parks, and high traffic areas.
Snap Send Solve identified 21,403 complaints in the 12 months to December 2023.
Massive scorelines, tries galore! Super Rugby U16s, U19s stars, wrap
There was a comeback, great kicking, explosions of speed and crucial results racked up in round three of the Super Rugby U16s and U19s series. Rd 3 wrap, great photos, standouts and scorers
Why famed venue’s beer garden plan has NIMBYs whingeing
Inner city NIMBYs are on the warpath over a Sydney hotel’s $1m expansion plans, claiming the prominent pub’s proposed outdoor beer garden would wreck the area’s “village” vibe.