Fly spray in Summer, cold and Flu medicine in Winter.

Business targets a need.

Two weeks ago Supercheap Auto featured on a TV ad during the V8 Bathurst 1000 CHN 7 telecast, a "special" on 4 cans of spray paint for $10.

Aerosol paint spray cans are the weapon of choice for graffiti vandals. I wonder how many "4 for $10 cans" cans were bought from Supercheap stores while they were on special, and have been used for this illegal purpose?

Today during the Surfers Paradise V8 meet I notice on TV advertising during the race that Supercheap Auto also sells paint thinners.

Very handy to know, if your property has been graffitied.

Thank you Mr Supercheap.

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This van drove along side me on Parramatta rd on Friday

And I spotted this lady painting out graffiti same afternoon in Annandale.

Graffiti won't stop unless someone gets serious.

Update: 28 Oct.

No reply from my Mayor Kelly to my 2nd email.

For a person who publicly has a such a strong view against graffiti, you'd think sending me a couple of lines and pushing the reply button wouldn't be too much to ask.

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On the Kingsway Miranda

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No comment from my Mayor Cr Kelly about Super cheap Auto's help in the fight against graffiti.

I've sent her another email and also one to Supercheap.

----- Original Message -----
From: stephens1510
To: lkelly@ssc.nsw.gov.au
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 10:09 PM
Subject: Fw: graffiti and corporate responsibility

Dear mayor,
last monday I sent you (and after reading it back) a rather passionate email regarding graffiti and advertising.
Graffiti is a huge problem in the Sutherland Shire and when I saw spray paint cans advertised as a "special"during the Bathurst 1000 I was angry, as it's mainly young men that watch the race and mainly young men that do graffiti.
I was angry that money and profit trumps community goodwill.
Do you think that promoting a special on spray paint cans during the Bathurst 1000 telecast (even though legal) was a responsible thing to do considering the audience demographic of this V8 race?

Regards
Hans Stephens

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Would it hurt if the Sutherland Mayor publicly questioned the need to feature repeatedly, this "special" on spray cans by Supercheap Auto during the Bathurst 1000, which although legal wasn't helping in the battle against graffiti.

This house owned by Railcorp in Sutherland about 1 1/2 kl/mh from Sutherland Council Chambers was repainted by graffiti vandals.

http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/350k-for-
eyesore/1651369.aspx

( Drag all of above link into your browser to view article)

I emailed Sutherland Mayor Cr Kelly last Monday about the spray paint bargains Supercheap Auto were spruiking during the Bathurst 1000 but obviously she doesn't share my concern.

Well not concered enough to push the reply button to me and say she'll as the Mayor of an area with a massive graffiti problem she would contact Supercheap Auto about their legal but maybe morally inappropriate marketing.

The Bathurst 1000 V8 car race is the NO 1 motor race in Australia.

Channel 7 did a magnificent job to bring the drama into my lounge room.

The necessary advertising was pitched at mainly the male market.

On a large track side SUPERCHEAP AUTO billboard (the main sponsor of the race) states that it has over 200,000 items in it's Australian stores.

Why out of 200,000 products, and from page 19 of it's 20 page "specials" catalogue did they have to feature the special on aerosol spray paint cans at

"4 CANS FOR $10."

Graffiti is costing untold millions and to advertise this product to an audience of mostly young males, obviously legal BUT..is it the right thing to do????

How many thousands of dollars damage can be done with $10 worth of spray paint?

I know it's a legal product and you have to be over 18 to buy it.

You can't buy alcohol either unless you're eighteen and have a look at whose off their face on the streets at night.

I emailed Supercheap Auto but no reply was forthcoming

Feel free to clean up your tags says mayor

http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/feel-free-to-clean-up-your-tags-says-mayor/1643620.aspx
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This was on the Leader website

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Teens arrested after graffiti found
BY DAVID MCCOWEN
5/10/2009 10:41:00 AM
Sutherland police arrested two teenagers from Sutherland and Woronora on Friday for graffiti offences.
Police allege the male pair, aged 15 and 14, are responsible for graffiti sprayed on Railway Street, Jannali at 10.20pm on Thursday.

Police gave the teenagers official cautions for malicious damage, and possessing spray paint can with the intent to damage or deface property.

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Did the teenagers or maybe their parents clean off the damage or pay to do it?
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After three more letters about graffiti in the Leader, I sent in this one.

To: leaderletters@fairfax.com.au
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 10:19 PM
Subject: graffiti

Dear sir,
it seems that almost every issue of the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader has an article about the ever increasing scourge of graffiti.
I read on the Leader website that police arrested two teenagers and charged them with malicious damage and possessing a spray can with the intent to deface or damage property.
The male pair 14 and 15 year old were given "official cautions"
My question is wether they, or their parents were required to, or pay to have the "malicious damage" cleaned up?
Unless there are consequences, graffiti vandalism will only get worse.
Parents have to be made more responsible for what their offspring are up to.
Maybe parents would care what junior does at night if they were handed a $1000 bill for cleaning up graffiti vandalism.
Park unintentionaly in a diabled spot and it costs $405, forget the time and drive through a school zone and there goes your license, but sneak around and deface property and it's an "official caution" Get serious.

Regards Hans Stephens

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Sutherland Mayor Cr Kelly is right when she said,

"The State Government needs to look at the Young Offenders Act,'' she said.

"There should be more moves and more options to make offenders clean up their graffiti.''