A Nationals and Liberals Government will introduce new laws to hold vandals who target war memorials and other religious, cultural and historic sites accountable.
The laws will criminalise the destruction of war memorials and other culturally, religiously and historically significant sites, carry a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment, and require offenders to pay the full cost of repair and restoration.
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, said war memorials hold deep meaning for local communities and deserve stronger protections.
“These are sacred sites that honour those who served and sacrificed for our nation,” Ms Benham said.
“They are part of our nation’s history, and they mean a great deal to families, veterans and the wider community who gather there to remember and reflect.
“In recent times we have seen several examples locally of vandalism and graffiti on these sites, including again this week at the Henderson Park War Memorial. It is completely unacceptable that this behaviour can continue unpunished.
“War memorials are for remembering and reflecting. There is no excuse for targeting them.”
Ms Benham said the new laws reflect how seriously these sites should be treated.
“This is about making sure there are consequences for the desecration of these sites.
“Our community expects these places to be respected and protected, and the Nationals and Liberals will deliver that.”
