4 days ago
Bronze busts of Rudd and Keating reinstated in Ballarat after brazen theft
The bronze bust of former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd sits on a tray in the back of a ute, along with a gas canister, some tools and a hi-vis vest.
It is waiting patiently to be returned to its place in the Ballarat Botanic Gardens.
Its bronze counterpart, the head of Paul Keating, basks in the sunlight on a stone plinth while a council worker polishes its face.
These two statues are in the process of being installed in the regional Victorian public park, four months after the original bronze casts were stolen in a brazen robbery.
Both Mr Rudd's and Mr Keating's bronze busts were severed by an angle grinder and stolen from the gardens on January 23 this year.
The busts formed part of the Prime Ministers Avenue, where artworks of Australia's leaders are on display.
At the time, 18 other statues were damaged in acts of vandalism.
Victoria Police said the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
At the time, Ballarat Police told the ABC the two statues were valued at $50,000 each.
Total costs are yet to be finalised, but the damage bill is estimated at $140,000.
On January 26 this year, a photo of a masked individual dressed in black and holding what looked like one of the busts, along with a sledgehammer, was posted on social media.
The photo was circulated with anarchist and anti-colonial ideology.
In a statement, the City of Ballarat's director of economy and experience, Martin Darcy, said all repair work on the avenue was expected to be finished by late June.
"The City of Ballarat strongly condemns graffiti and vandalism of any kind," Mr Darcy said.
"This type of senseless damage is completely unacceptable.
"It is not only extremely costly to our ratepayers and will divert money away from critical council services, but it detracts from Ballarat as a city."
