GRAFFITI VANDALISM

Ms BETTISON (Ramsay) (14:13): My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General inform the house about government support for innovative projects run by community groups across the state aiming to prevent crime and graffiti vandalism?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:13): I thank the honourable member for her question. All members of parliament would realise the deep concern in the community about the scourge of graffiti vandalism, and the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Grants program delivers funding to community and local government organisations with innovative ways to prevent crime and graffiti vandalism.

I can inform members that $812,500 in total funding has been provided for 20 projects and that 14 crime prevention and six graffiti prevention projects have been outlaid. Projects are spread across the state from Ceduna to Victor Harbor, and I just wanted to mention a couple of them. First of all, an organisation close to the member for Reynell's heart is the Sammy D Foundation, which has been successful in its application to develop a mentoring program in partnership with TAFE Noarlunga and Flinders University for young people involved in the juvenile justice system.

Another one—again, probably of interest to the member for Frome—is the Port Pirie Aboriginal Community Centre, which will receive $22,000 to support the Fair Dinkum Brothers project, which places young people in teams with Aboriginal elders to clean and beautify community yards and learn about native plants, and uses skills in horticulture and garden maintenance. Both these examples are projects engaging at-risk youths with their communities.

On graffiti, South Australia is a leader in tackling graffiti vandalism, and community involvement is important in ridding the state of this offending behaviour. In the Port Adelaide electorate, funding of $49,450 has been outlaid for a program that brings community members and young offenders together to create digital images to be projected onto buildings across the local area—which is a lot better than painting them. Participants develop appreciation of their community and the way graffiti affects members of that community.

Yet another graffiti project to be supported is the establishment of a graffiti volunteer program to assist the City of Holdfast Bay's rapid response team. Councils are to be commended for their work in establishing rapid response teams to deal with this issue.

Ms Chapman: What about Burnside?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I don't think there is a lot of it in Burnside.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: We are very keen to support councils and community groups to improve community safety and prevent crime and graffiti.