The Turnbull Government will crack down on the vandalism of historic statues, with those caught defacing monuments of Captain James Cook set to face up to seven years in jail. The federal government has reportedly asked the Heritage Council to look at placing a number of Captain Cook statues on the register to discourage attacks on the historic monuments. The Turnbull government is calling for vandals who attack statues of Captain Cook to be jailed. The vandalism of the Sydney statues has reignited discussion about how to deal with Australia's complex colonial past and Indigenous history. 'An additional plaque': Bill Shorten's plan to neutralise Captain Cook debate #auspol https://t.co/MEDIWsh2aG — The Age (@theage) August 28, 2017Opposition leader Bill Shorten has advocated placing an additional plaque on the Hyde Park Captain Cook statue to acknowledge how Australia has treated its Indigenous people since European settlement.

Source: Huffington Post September 10, 2017 00:22 UTC