Mosman Council rejects plan to offer $10,000 reward to catch tree hacking culprits

MOSMAN councillor Simon Menzies sought the backing of his colleagues to have the council stump up cash following a spate of tree hacking incidents, which set the municipality back more than $8000 in repair costs.

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MOSMAN Council has rejected a proposal for a $10,000 reward to catch tree vandals in the municipality.

The majority of Mosman councillors knocked back the plan last week and instead moved for council to “express its disappointment” trees had been vandalised along Military Rd.

Councillor Simon Menzies had sought the backing of his colleagues to have the council stump up the cash following a spate of tree hacking incidents, which set the municipality back more than $8000 in repair costs.

Mosman Councillor Simon Menzies floated the idea of a $10,000 reward to catch those responsible for damaging trees in Mosman. Picture: Braden Fastier

While Cr Menzies noted “there hasn’t been any vandalism done to the trees” since the Mosman Daily highlighted his reward proposal on its front page in November, he argued it was still a necessity.

“There are new types of vandalism in the same area,” he said.

“The real issue here is that there are problems which are ever ongoing along Mosman Junction up to Spit Junction.

“Ten thousand dollars is going to be money well spent if someone is caught.

“It sends a clear message to the community that council is willing to take steps to prevent vandalism in the area.”

Cr Menzies also called for an increased police presence at night and the installation of CCTV along Military Rd between Mosman and Spit junctions.

“It’s insurance for the millions of dollars we’ve spent on public infrastructure which we are leaving vulnerable to acts of vandalism,” he said.

One of the damaged trees along Military Rd.

Cr Libby Moline backed the move.

“I would love to see CCTV in Mosman … I think it is protection because we have a lot of young girls walking home,” she said.

“It is only criminals that don’t like CCTV. If you’re not doing anything wrong, what does it matter?”

But Cr Roy Bendall said he did not agree with the premise of Cr Menzies’ argument that there had been escalating levels of vandalism in Mosman.

He saw no need to “bathe our streets in CCTV”.

“It’s Big Brother gone mad,” he said, adding the reward proposal had been an “embarrassing saga”.

CCTV will not be installed along Military Rd between Mosman and Spit junctions, for the time being. Picture: Richard Dobson

He put forward his own motion “that council express its disappointment that the trees on Military Rd have been deliberately damaged and confirms its confidence with the investigative and enforcement powers of the NSW Police”.

Only councillors Moline and Peter White voted against the move.

However, councillors will be presented with a report on how much it would cost to install CCTV along Military Rd at the March council meeting in response to another Cr Menzies motion that was approved last September.

Cr Menzies said a break-in at Hudson Meats on Military Rd late last week was further proof that CCTV was needed.

“If we had CCTV then police would have been able to investigate the getaway vehicle,” he said.