'Kiro must go for tagging stance'

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: Children's Commisioner Cindy Kiro's comments that graffiti can be seen as legitimate art has outraged the Sensible Sentencing trust.

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The Sensible Sentencing Trust has accused Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro of attempting to legitimise graffiti and tagging and called for her resignation.

Dr Kiro made the comments in a submission to the Law and Order Select Committee hearing submissions on the Summary Offences (Tagging and Graffiti Vandalism) amendment Bill.

"For some people, graffiti and tagging are seen as a legitimate art form," she said.

Justice watchdog the Sensible Sentencing Trust says the Commissioner's comments endorse vandalism and she should resign.

Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said he was absolutely staggered that someone with a responsibility for the protection and well-being of young people could make such an inflammatory statement.

"Dr Kiro has given every wannabe tagger and vandal permissions to commit crime, providing they say that it was an expression of their history or a legitimate art form," he said.

"Her comments are hugely provocative at a time when a decent hard-working citizen is facing a murder charge because of his frustration over this issue."

Mr McVicar cited increases in youth crime and claimed that graffiti and tagging were entry level crimes.

"The youth committing these violent crimes would have all started with graffiti and vandalism," he said.

A spokesperson for Dr Kiro declined to comment.

- © Fairfax NZ News