Captain Cook statue in Sydney doused with red paint ahead of Australia’s controversial national day

Randwick mayor says vandalism does disservice to reconciliation' but Greens councillor says statue marks devastating impacts of colonisation'

A statue of Captain Cook in Sydney's eastern suburbs has been damaged and doused in red paint for a second year in a row.

New South Wales police were investigating after the damage to the sandstone statue of the explorer and naval captain was discovered on Friday morning before the Australia Day long weekend.