Evelyn electorate
Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (14:52): (528) My question is to the Attorney-General. Will you legislate increased penalties for individuals who vandalise, damage or desecrate war memorials and cenotaphs or other assets of community significance and remembrance? After the devastating desecration of the Montrose War Memorial in 2023 as well as a series of vandalism attacks on a number of other war memorials across the Yarra Valley recently, including Seville War Memorial, our community has found the existing penalty is inadequate and provides no disincentive for vandalism of memorials that commemorate our service men and women. It is a serious question I ask on behalf of our community, especially members of the Lilydale and Mount Evelyn RSL sub-branches, seeking tougher penalties to try and stop this disgraceful vandalism of war memorials. I will keep working together with Lilydale and Mount Evelyn RSLs, and I thank presidents Bill Dobson and Matt Crymble, as well as Anthony McAleer and many other members, for the work they do in restoring local war memorials.