In a shocking act of overnight vandalism, the statues of former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating had their heads severed, while 18 other prime minister busts were damaged at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in Victoria. The brazen attack took place between 2am and 5am on Thursday morning, targeting the iconic Prime Ministers Avenue which features sculptures of Australia’s first 29 leaders.
According to Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Brad Hall, the concentrated nature of the damage points to a deliberate and targeted assault. “It’s hard to say it’s not a targeted attack considering that the busts that have been damaged and stolen are… past prime ministers,” he noted. In addition to the decapitated Rudd and Keating statues, the nameplates on all the other vandalized busts were covered in spray paint.
Police Investigate White Ute Spotted Near Scene
Authorities are still working to determine the motives behind why the two Labor leaders were singled out for the most severe desecration. Police believe four individuals may have been involved in the calculated attack. CCTV footage from the area is being analyzed, with investigators keen to speak to the occupants of a white ute seen around the gardens during the time of the incident on Thursday morning.
In light of the shocking vandalism, police patrols are set to be bolstered at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in the lead up to Australia Day. Senior Sergeant Hall stated officers would be present “doing what local police do” to prevent any further disgraceful assaults on the revered monuments.
Ballarat Mayor Slams “Senseless Damage”
The Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation, which oversees Prime Ministers Avenue, expressed their anguish over the reprehensible act. In an Instagram post, they condemned it as a “blatant violation of this vital part of their story and heritage,” underscoring the significance of the sculpture collection that has stood as a national landmark since its opening in 1940.
Ballarat Mayor Tracey Hargreaves echoed this sentiment, slamming the defacement as “completely unacceptable” and warning it would be “extremely costly” for ratepayers. “This type of senseless damage… detracts from Ballarat as a city,” she lamented in an official statement.
Dutton Urges Respect for All Former Leaders
Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton also denounced the appalling vandalism, calling for “great respect for our former prime ministers, regardless of if they are Liberal or Labor.” He emphasized the need to honor the history and legacy of all past Australian leaders:
“They lead the country at different times and we should be respectful of our history, and we should be very respectful of those who have led our country.”
– Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader
Sadly, this is not the first time a prime ministerial monument has been targeted by vandals at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. The bust of Liberal PM Tony Abbott had previously been defaced multiple times, including being cloaked in a crown of onions in 2017 and doused with red paint alongside John Howard’s statue in 2020.
As police step up their efforts to apprehend those responsible for this latest disgusting act of vandalism, Australians have reacted with shock and outrage that such sacred symbols of our democracy could be desecrated in this manner. The wanton destruction of nearly half of the revered prime minister sculptures, and the specific beheading of Rudd and Keating’s statues, marks a dark day in Australia’s history that will not soon be forgotten.
