Tougher laws may make young taggers 'heroes'

Media release

Newmarket Business Association

20 June 2008

Tougher laws may make young taggers bigger ‘heroes’

Tougher laws around tagging just passed by parliament may in fact make tagging just that much more ‘cooler’ particularly among minors, claims one Auckland business district.

MPs have voted to get tougher on taggers by supporting measures such as lifting the maximum fine for tagging from $200 to $2,000 and banning the sale of spray cans to people under 18.

“The legislation is a step in the right direction but the public needs to keep vigilant. These tougher laws could in fact bring on an unintended consequence – that is make taggers even bigger 'heroes' among their mates,” says Cameron Brewer head of the Newmarket Business Association..

“Taggers tag to simply show off and now with the stakes just that much higher, taggers will think they’re being extra clever."

Mr Brewer says young taggers will effectively be saying 'we got around the spray can ban and we’re so cool that we don’t even care about the bigger fines.'

“Studies show that legislation alone doesn’t get rid of graffiti, but instantly painting it out does. That’s what works for us in Newmarket and that’s what the public needs to continue doing,” said Mr Brewer.

ENDS

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