The NSW Government is to introduce a Bill making it an offence to damage war memorial property with maximum jail times to rise from five to seven years.
The Bill would also change the Summary Offences Act to allow the courts to order vandals to pay up to $4400 in compensation for repairs.
The government says it is not up to local councils, RSLs or other organisations to pay for repairs from such damage.
“This Bill sends a clear message that the government will not tolerate behaviour that causes damage to war memorials,” Attorney-General Michael Daley says.
Veterans Minister David Harris says: “Our veterans should be celebrated.
“Their memories do not deserve to be desecrated like we have been seeing across the state.
“Our communities are rightfully proud of their military history, and local war memorials allow us to reflect on many years of our veterans’ service and sacrifice,” he says.
RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge says the “RSL NSW and greater NSW veteran community is grateful” for the continual protection of war memorials statewide.
“Our war memorials are places for the community to remember and reflect on the service of thousands of Australians who, in many cases, paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he says.
“These new penalties are a clear indication that our government is serious about the protection of our memorials and serious about their commitment to our veterans.”
EARLIER FUNDING
Earlier this year, the NSW Government announced $134,636 in grant funding for the maintenance of 14 war memorials statewide.
These memorials included town halls and clock towers such as Wingham’s Memorial Town Hall and Gloucester’s clock tower.
A second round of funding applications closed at the end of June and a decision is due in October, according to the NSW Department of Veterans Affairs: click here for more details.
