Media release

Newmarket Business Association

Sunday, 25 May 2008

TV3’s Campbell Live should consider pulling item on tagger  

An Auckland business district is calling on TV3’s Campbell Live show to consider pulling an item which is due to screen 7pm tomorrow night if the item is in anyway promoting or validating a tagger and tagging.

TV3 is promoting the item about a Dunedin tagger who claims his work is not visual pollution but rather he’s passionate about conservation and is using tagging to get his message out.

“This kind of political correctness and validation of such vandalism flies in face of communities up and down New Zealand who are waging war against it. No one wants the media to give taggers any attention or glorification because that just simply plays into their hands. Taggers need to be treated as the vandals they are, not encouraged. Giving them positive publicity is simply offensive,” said Cameron Brewer, head of the Newmarket Business Association.

“In the past councils, the media, youth groups and many others have all tried to positively promote ‘graffiti art’ in the hope that it would somehow reduce tagging, but it never has. The problem has only got worse so the authorities have now hardened their resolve in response to growing public pressure. 

“Recently the Government announced it was banning the sale of spray cans to under 18 years old and introducing heavier penalties to offenders.  Then the Auckland City Council launched a 0800 STOP TAGS free phone number to encourage the public to report information about graffiti vandals so more could be prosecuted. Both central and local government are responding to the public’s demand to get tough. However, Campbell Live’s latest editorial decision goes completely against any progress and zero tolerance strategy.”

Mr Brewer said his organisation has effectively wiped out graffiti in Newmarket, by contracting a dedicated and professional daily graffiti eradication service, provided by Graffiti Solutions. He says for the Auckland City Council, cleaning up the entire city costs around $2 million every year.

“Tagging is a huge concern and cost for every New Zealand community. The only way to get on top of it is by painting it out quickly and treating the taggers as nothing more than criminals. Taggers’ whole modus operandi is to get attention, and only the ill-advised would give them airtime,” said Mr Brewer. 

Ends

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