Dear CBD News,

I write with a love for Melbourne having lived here for six years in the 1970s. I am currently dog-sitting for my daughter who lives in Carlton. I read with interest your edition of the CBD News September 2022, Issue 90.

Brendan Rees, reporting on council affairs on page 11, reported Lord Mayor Sally Capp’s concern to address the problem of graffiti and the city’s cleanliness. The QR code on the bins are described as having been useful in engaging the locals in reporting “the hot spots, the popular times and who are the perpetrators”. Meanwhile, the state of litter in the streets is not a good look for Melbourne’s desire to reclaim the title of the world’s most liveable city.

Within the past 24 hours, probably 20 square metres of footpath on the corner of Swanston and Pelham streets has become a dumping ground for intact and broken furniture and appliances – from somewhere ...

Given the state of the overflowing litter in the bins in areas such as Swanston St, Carlton, maybe they need to be emptied more regularly?

Perhaps the take-away food outlets and other profuse users of packaging need to be engaged with the council in taking some responsibility for the litter on the streets which bear their trademarks.

Perhaps the community needs an effective public education program to give them reasons and strategies for disposing of the litter for which they also bear responsibility.

Perhaps the “cash for containers” program needs to be implemented as soon as possible. It is not a comfortable feeling to be confronted by COVID hygiene masks seemingly strewn on the streets in far too many places. 

Cr Capp is reported as believing in the direction the council is taking. Greening the city and investing in active transport, the arts and events are worthy objectives. However, a visitor’s sense of the hygiene and basic aesthetics has a way of lurking in a visitor’s memory long after departure. In the same way, a key memory of Singapore’s cleanliness remains of a visit there in 1987.

Meanwhile, after reading David Schout’s article on page 3 re: dog attacks and barking complaints, please may I encourage the council to investigate the provision of more fenced dog parks. I believe there should be one in the Flagstaff Gardens. I look forward to discovering it someday. It would give the dogs a chance to run without danger to themselves and traffic.

Thank you for your interesting and useful publication.

Yours faithfully,

Brian Moffett.

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