Rita Panahi: Ratepayers won’t reap any benefits from Sally Capp’s Singapore junket

The Lord Mayor’s junket to see why graffiti is not an issue in Singapore is pointless given that the answer, which is blatantly obvious, won’t be implemented here.

Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Sally Capp has been forced to defend a planned taxpayer-funded trip to Singapore that will centre on its approach to graffiti. Picture: Getty Images

Sally Capp’s ratepayer funded junket to Singapore is an exercise in futility.

The Melbourne Lord Mayor is set to attend the World Cities Summit, pending approval from City of Melbourne councillors.

One of the main focuses of the trip will be a fact-finding mission to see why graffiti is not an issue in Singapore.

Here’s a clue, Sally.

It’s for the same reason other incidence of crime is so low in the island nation; they have a zero tolerance approach to any and all criminality.

The punishment for graffiti is a fine, corporal punishment or imprisonment, sometimes all three, depending on the severity of the offence.

For repeat offenders the caning becomes mandatory but even first time offenders can get the cane if they use anything other than a delible substance such as a pencil, crayon or chalk.

So, if you use a spray can a deface someone’s property then you can expect corporal punishment as well as prison or a fine.

Graffiti in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. Picture: Tony Gough

The penalties are severe and uncompromising – even juveniles can be caned for property damage offences – and thus the number of offences is low.

What a concept! Discouraging crime by imposing severe sentences, it’ll never catch on.

The same phenomenon is true for other crimes in Singapore where steep sentences accompany any law-breaking.

Indeed, crime, particularly violent crime, is so slow that in 2016 the nation’s police force had 135 days where no offences were reported including property crimes and robberies.

As a long suffering City of Melbourne ratepayer I would fully support Capp’s Singapore junket if there was any chance that she would come back with a firm law and order approach.

But alas that’s as unlikely as a truck never hitting the Montague Street bridge again.

No, Capp will continue with her soft-on-crime approach including supporting a drug injecting facility for the City of Melbourne where illegal drugs from heroin to ice will be used.

Ratepayers will receive no benefit from the thousands spent for the Lord Mayor’s overseas trip but at least she’ll come back with a nice tan.

The average temperature in Singapore during the proposed trip is a balmy 31 degrees.