Wollongong City Council is considering whether it can offer a reward to those who come forward with information on tree vandals, after two significant trees at Belmore Basin were destroyed earlier this month.
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In a Lord Mayoral minute at Monday night's meeting, Cr Gordon Bradbery called out the destruction of the two coastal tea trees, which had their branches hacked off overnight on October 15.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with the trees recognised as being an "iconic" part of the harbour precinct, with generations of children using them to play in.
Cr Bradbery asked the council to review its Tree and Vegetation Vandalism Policy to address continuing instances of vandalism across the LGA and explore new ways it can deter tree and vegetation vandalism.
He asked that the review include the feasibility of a reward mechanism to encourage people to come forward to the council or police with information that leads to the successful prosecution of offenders.
Cr Bradbery said any cash reward would be built into the fines given to an offender once they had been prosecuted, so it didn't affect ratepayers or council finances.
John Dorahy supported the motion and the idea of the reward, but said he was "a little bit miffed" that the council had not moved to install CCTV in vandalism hot spots.
"We've been looking to lessen these actions, but it's important to catch people in the act or going to and from the activity - especially in areas we have a lot of activity, and where people like to congregate in the evening in the shadow of darkness," he said.
"I don't think we're getting the action that's needed to avert these situations."
Ann Martin agreed that vandalism - of trees, sporting fields and buildings - was a big issue for Wollongong, pointing to other incidents in Port Kembla, Kanahooka, Primbee and Berkeley that had occurred in recent years.
She said she hoped the council would look at using more mobile CCTV cameras in these areas.
As part of the review, she asked the council to look at rewards other than money - such as a season pass to a council health centre or pool - as a way to incentivise people to "do something that some people consider un-Australian, and that is to dob in someone".
Likewise, Cameron Walters said he would be happy to consider a reward mechanism, but would not support a situation where the council was "just handing out cash for information".
Mithra Cox said she had never seen a successful prosecution for tree vandalism during her time on council, and said this would be the best deterrent for people who were seeking to cut down trees to improve their views.