Media response Oakleigh mural proposal

Questions and responses

I wanted to get some comments from council regarding a proposed mural in Oakleigh on the corners of Hanover and Portman streets.

Would council be in favour of a mural to cover up the wall and why?

A planning application has been submitted for this site (55-59 Portman Street Oakleigh) to develop a five-storey building with 15 apartments and two shop spaces. The matter will be considered tonight (28 April) at our monthly meeting.

 While it's unlikely that the owners of this building will commission a mural at this site in light of the planning application, we are supportive of traders who want to commission murals to deter graffiti and make spaces more visually appealing.

What previous examples has council seen of how community murals have instilled community pride?

We have several fantastic murals across the municipality that have had community involvement, most recently a collaborative project in 2019 in Mount Waverley between Huntingtower School and Council, which was funded with a $30,000 Department of Justice Graffiti Prevention grant. The community and students were consulted on their ideas for the design of the mural. 

Have community involved art projects like murals deterred people from tagging and putting graffiti up?

Council supports the creation of the murals as it helps prevent graffiti. Those who tag or graffiti buildings often respect the work of street artists and will not tag or graffiti their work. Many of the street art projects in Monash have also been supported by State Government funding to assist in crime prevention and to improve the amenity of neighbourhoods.

Issued: 28 April 2020
To: Neos Kosmos
Quoting: Mayor, Councillor Stuart James