Its president Marten Wynd said the plan was too tough and it would be more effective to get offenders to clean up graffiti.

Mr Rees announced jail sentences of up to 12 months for vandalism and six months for possession of implements such as spray cans.

The announcement followed the release of crime data showing a rise in local graffiti incidents from June last year to June this year.

Under the legislation changes, magistrates will also be able to order offenders to clean up graffiti.

Mr Wynd said his group had worked with several suspected graffiti vandals.

He said they were assigned to cleaning up the graffiti and went on to replace it with a legal mural.

Mr Wynd said he believed the project helped the youths change their ways.

``They learned they had done the wrong thing and volunteered to do the mural,'' he said.

``Our only shortcoming is we don't have the time, money and the people to organise another clean-up and a mural.''

Blacktown Mayor Charlie Lowles said the council spent about $769,000 a year to clean up graffiti and also ran programs to manage its removal.