Deputy mayor responds to 'romantic' message on Aussie road sign

An Australian mayor has left his constituents in stitches after his response to an unusual public display of affection left scrawled across a road sign.

Sharing an image of the local road sign with the words: "I love you Hannah" spray-painted in pink over the top, Kahn Goodluck, deputy mayor of the Gladstone Regional Council, said while it’s an impressive display of affection, it will cost ratepayers to clean up the mess.

The Queenslander went as far as to suggest alternative romantic gestures to the lovelorn graffiti artist. "I'm sure everyone travelling around BITS over the last few days have noticed that someone out there really, REALLY loves Hannah," he wrote.

"While this very public display of affection has no doubt left many Hannahs feeling the love, it will cost ratepayers money for crews to head out and clean all this up over the next few weeks. Please don’t use public roads, road signs and car parks as your personal love letters."

He went on to list several other ways the graffiti artist could express his love that wouldn't cost taxpayers money. "You can try: Writing 'I love you Hannah' on a nice handmade card, buying some chocolates or a piece of jewellery, a surprise picnic in the park; or anything else that only cost you time and money and will be much more appreciated I'm sure, rather than costing everyone else in the region time and money with council crews having to clean it up."

Aussies cracking up over defaced sign

Many locals were left cracking up over the mayor's cheeky response to the act of vandalism and were desperate to know more about the loved-up pair.

"I think we all deserve to know who Hannah is," said one Aussie. "Please next time paint her last name, this just isn’t good enough." Another local added: "After all this I hope Hannah loves whoever it is."

While some have chosen to see the funny side of the light-hearted post, others have taken it more seriously. "Amount of money the government taxes us and wastes on everything I don’t think a bit of paint remover is going to break you," one resident responded. "Get a grip."

"Why can't the council make use of the cameras and find out who done it [sic],” said another. "Make them clean it up or pay the costs involved to get the council to clean it off? Just a thought. Why punish all tax payers when clearly only one person has done it."

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Act of love considered a crime

Despite the strong expression of love for Hannah, in Queensland graffiti is considered a form of vandalism and if caught, is punishable with as much as five years in prison.

It is also an offence to possess an aerosol spray, marker or other instrument that is used for graffiti or suspected to have been used for graffiti. This carries a fine of $3,096 or as much as one year in prison.

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