That didn't take long

I predicted yesterday that the SMH would lead the charge against juveniles being locked up under proposed anti-graffiti legislation.


I was thinking that they'd get upset when the first case went to trial.


Silly me.

Writing on the wall for enforcer Rees

So Nathan Rees thinks he can buy votes by punishing children with prison sentences (''Rees cops spray over graffiti laws'', November 9). As ugly and annoying as graffiti tags are, I would rather live with every flat surface on the planet covered in them than see a single child imprisoned for six months.

Mr Rees ought to look at how zero tolerance policies have fared in the US, and how many lives have been ruined by them. He is interfering with the legal system, threatening our families and undermining his party's credibility (what little it retains).

Mr Rees said: ''I'm putting graffiti vandals on notice - we have you in our sights and the community, police and business are right behind us.'' All the people I have spoken to are part of the community. None of us agree that imprisoning children is an answer to anything.

Police and business may well be behind Mr Rees. ''The community'' is not - or if we are, he ought to watch his back.

Kay Orchison Marrickville

I heartily agree with the war on young people. Let's leave graffiti to the more mature political activists - I want messages, not mindless decoration. Ah yes, I still have fond memories of the ''Out Menzies!'' exhortations along the Sydney rail network in the 1950s.

Ron Saunders Wyoming

I would have thought that the message was pretty simple - if you don't want to get locked up, don't mess with property that doesn't belong to you. Don't break the law.