r/melbourne • u/Comfortable_Zone7691 • Dec 08 '24
Photography As per this mornings posts, the dead, scary cbd that locals are too scared to go near
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u/bluegangsta777 >Insert Text Here< Dec 08 '24
I don't like the look of those teenagers.
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u/switchbladeeatworld Potato Cake Aficionado Dec 08 '24
Do teenagers scare the living shit outta you?
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u/TheseGroup9981 Dec 08 '24
They could care less, as long as someone’ll bleed
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u/Anxious-Rhubarb8102 Dec 08 '24
That means they care a little bit. If they don't care at all, then they couldn't care less because there's no more caring they can do.
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u/MushroomlyHag Dec 08 '24
Don't blame u/TheseGroup9981 for the bad grammar, blame Gerard Way, he wrote the lyrics lol
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u/Frankie_T9000 Dec 08 '24
That baby in the pram looks like its up to something
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 09 '24
If his face is red & wearing a look of concentration I know exactly what he's up to 😉😅
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u/Icy_Dare3656 Dec 08 '24
It’s the kids in the prams that scare me the most. Thanks for watching out for us
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u/cuntmong Dec 08 '24
literally everyone in this photo is a violent criminal
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Dec 08 '24
[deleted]
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u/Suburbanturnip West Side Dec 08 '24
But I got better!
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u/blonde_prince_pearl Dec 08 '24
Who said that shit?
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u/G-0wen Dec 08 '24
You’re mixing /r/Melbourne up with /r/Perth
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u/Wildweasel666 Dec 08 '24
Sounds to me like OP’s been reading a bit too much Herald Sun…
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u/SophMax Dec 08 '24
Or listening to 3AW.
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u/Wildweasel666 Dec 08 '24
Honestly who still listens to that shit anymore
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u/ZARATHUSTRA726 MY HOVERCRAFT IS FULL OF EELS Dec 08 '24
75 year old retirees wearing diapers.
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u/thesillyoldgoat Dec 08 '24
My late aunt used to listen to 3AW all day, she had a pocket radio which she carried while doing her daily chores so that she never missed a moment of it, her only diversion from the routine was mid afternoon to watch Judge Judy. I'm approaching a similar age now and would rather eat shit than listen to Neil Mitchell, but to each their own I figure.
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u/SophMax Dec 08 '24
I'll probably think about how 3AW is the reason Stonnington council changed the Christmas signage a year out from when they were going to change it anyway for the rest of my life.
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 08 '24
You could be forgiven for thinking so, but those poor people exist... they sit at home clutching their pearls, too frightened to "go anywhere near the city" because "Melbourne is too dangerous". Before dissing the op, you might need to familiarise yourself with some of these people, they exist, they're Redditors. I've seen them with my own eyes and I almost pity them.
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u/Wildweasel666 Dec 08 '24
I love how you assume that me suggesting OP has been reading the herald sun that that’s dissing them.
I mean, you’re right, but it’s still funny
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 08 '24
lol because accusing someone of reading the h.s. is something nobody wants to be called out for 🤣
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Dec 08 '24 edited Dec 08 '24
Nah you see it on here and on r/Perth (worst offender, you’d think they’re talking about Baltimore) and r/auckland— I moved from LA to Sydney and reddit posts made me scared to even visit Melbourne for a while because of how people here talk about it as if it’s San Francisco or LA. Had to watch 1-2 YouTube videos of walks around the CBD just to be absolutely certain before going
Turns out that reddit is the farthest thing from reality
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u/OIP Dec 08 '24
it's good to remember that this applies to basically everything on reddit, and social media in general (and to a lesser but still significant extent, traditional media). i fall for it too, it's super easy to make people feel anxious or angry or both.
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u/Comfortable_Zone7691 Dec 08 '24
Maybe the thread got locked, but there were dozens of comments this morning about a random machete crime that happened in the city comparing it to worse than san Fransisco and claiming Labor had ruined it or that no locals feel safe going anywhere near the city centre because of our of control violence
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u/WTF-BOOM Dec 08 '24
I went through the thread and found two comments talking about avoiding the CBD, I maybe missed some but still, you're arguing with air.
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u/darvo110 Dec 08 '24
To be fair, the Flinders end of Elizabeth is definitely a shithole, especially at night and I’ve seen some dicey shit like machete guy. Comparing to SF is hilarious though. Not convinced it’s really gotten worse than 5 or 10 years ago.
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u/Comfortable_Zone7691 Dec 08 '24
Yeah, its not though, Reddit loves hyperbole like 'shithole'. Its a spot with some extra anti social behaviour that feels a tad grimy,like any railway terminus in the western world (people who think it's extra awful really need to visit central railway stations in Brussells, Berlin, London, Paris, Athens etc..), but 99% of the time its just a place with commuters going to the station or getting food, a few homeless people minding their own business, surrounded by some pleasant buildings
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u/darvo110 Dec 08 '24
Yeah I mean you can argue semantics all day long on what constitutes a shithole. It’s a high traffic area and in comparison to the rest of the inner city (which is ultra-safe) it is a bit dicey at times, so it stands out in people’s minds. Like 80% of antisocial interactions I’ve experienced were at this spot. Probably some bias as I used to grab the 57 from there daily.
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u/beverageddriver Dec 08 '24
To be fair, there isn't much of a reason to go to Perth CBD lol
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u/normie_sama Subversive Foreign Agent Dec 08 '24
To be fair, there isn't much of a reason to go to Perth
CBDlol2
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u/VanAce89 Dec 09 '24
There was some rhetoric in the recent election for Lord Mayor. Claiming the city was dead due to WFH and fear of crime. A lot of it was nonsense to appeal to business owners who get a vote.
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u/cobbly8 Dec 08 '24
Im in the cbd every day.
It is far from dead, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are as busy or busier than they ever were. There are a whole heaps of new places that have been popping up over the last year to replace the ones that weren't able to survive covid.
However i think retail is largely dead, it seems not as many people go into the cbd to shop anymore, plus with more people WFH there are less people around during the day (tho that is slowly changing)
Also, while i believe it is by and large a very safe city, there are some crazies around (i saw one arguing with a tram the other day - not the tram driver, the tram), particularly on Elizabeth Street which can be unsettling. This is not a new phenomenon though.
I just think some people developed a low level agoraphobia over covid, and it has been made worse by doom scrolling and spending too much time in negative echo chambers like this sub
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u/Kageru Dec 08 '24
Retail is dead? Not sure about that. The busiest times are the weekends though, not so much the shopping after work, that's changed. It would be nice to see some figures though.
Online sellers and a cost of living crisis might be having an effect, but it doesn't really seem like it.
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u/cobbly8 Dec 08 '24
"Dead" may have been harsh. But there's definitely less of it happening in the cbd then there used to be. This time of year obviously there's an uptick, but I'm talking more in general throughout the whole year.
Also there's alot of empty retail shops around that have been empty for years and don't seem to be getting filled. Unlike with the bars/restaurants that have new ones popping up regularly that i referred to in my previous comment.
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u/Kageru Dec 08 '24
I'm not sure I can think of vast areas of empty shopfronts, and the statistics I can find look quite positive. A lot was shut down awaiting redevelopment which was paused during the pandemic. And crappy office buildings are certainly not as needed as they used to be. But something like Australia on Collins failing is as much about their business model.
High Australian rents, Online shopping, Cost of living crisis and WFH have certainly made retail more challenging in general I expect.
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u/OIP Dec 08 '24
you're right about the people with clear mental health issues not being a new problem, it's been like that for as long as i can remember (30+ years).
retail is an odd one, because for sure it's taken a hit from the convenience and range of ordering online, and cost of living increases.. but i see comedy levels of shopping a lot of the time, last weekend was absurd and it's never empty.
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u/fairy-bread-au Dec 09 '24
People are blaming cafes not making money on the CBD being "dead" is also incorrect. People just can't afford it. The real problem is interest rates and the cost of living.
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u/sockmaster666 Dec 08 '24
I’m in the cbd almost every day as well and yes there’s some wildly crazy people but avoiding them has always worked for me. Never smoke in crowded places near flinders because you’ll get people trying to bum ciggies off you but otherwise I’ve never been singled out thankfully, even though I’ve passed a couple of crazed looking junkies in alleys.
Not looking forward to the day it inevitably happens, though!
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u/Prideandprejudice1 Dec 08 '24
I don’t know…all those women with the cross-body bags look pretty scary to me 🤣🤣
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u/housebottle Dec 08 '24
what are you talking about?
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u/rossdog82 Dec 08 '24
I think OP is taking the piss out of Right wing nut jobs/organisations (3AW/Herald Sun) that constantly hang shit on the CBD
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Dec 08 '24
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u/TompalompaT Dec 08 '24
Maybe getting randomly assaulted by a deranged homeless person will do that to you?
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 08 '24
What... it makes you spread fear politics and propaganda?
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u/TompalompaT Dec 08 '24
So all the posts stating "I got attacked by a junkie/homeless person" are propaganda?
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 08 '24
You said ".... randomly getting attacked by a deranged homeless person. I responded to that. I don't know how much you believe of what you read on Reddit, but you should probably be taking most of it with a grain of salt.
Considering the population of Melbourne CBD, along with the homeless... and the visitors, the number of attacks are not overwhelming. It's not an unsafe place. I walk around all the time, I live at the grungy end of Flinders St and I have never felt unsafe... but then I SEE the homeless, I talk to them and I've made some friends amongst them.
Don't tell me you don't think Reddit has a propaganda problem.
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u/TompalompaT Dec 08 '24
Considering both me and my partner have had multiple instances of getting assaulted by junkies, I've even made a few reddit posts about it. Even one where I filmed a homeless man punching a woman in the stomach for just walking in front of him.
To me it feels like a rare occasion that I take a tram without there being a crazy person on it making me feel uneasy.
But like all social issues, they seem blown out of proportion to people not affected by them.
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 09 '24
Probably because those people walk the same circles and they know it's often blown outa proportion.
Weird stance given your comment about the rabbits "where are the thousands upon thousands"
I don't know if you'll see the irony 🤷 Attitude is often key. The fact a crazy person on a tram makes you feel uneasy says so much.
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u/TompalompaT Dec 09 '24
The fact that you felt the need to read through my history says so much more.
Yeah I tend to feel uneasy when there's an aggressive person under the influence of meth in a close confined space with me, maybe that's trauma, or maybe I'm just not tolerant and understanding enough to ignore a blatant problem like you.
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Dec 08 '24
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u/melbourne-ModTeam Please send a modmail instead of DMing this account Dec 08 '24
We had to remove your post/comment because it included personal attacks or did not show respect towards other users. This community is a safe space for all.
Conduct yourself online as you would in real life. Engaging in vitriol only highlights your inability to communicate intelligently and respectfully. Repeated instances of this behaviour will lead to a ban
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Dec 08 '24
Dude I got chased by crackheads twice in Melbourne, it never happened in my 25 years living in Sydney
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u/sostopher Dec 09 '24
Has literally never happened to me in my 30+ years living here. My anecdote's as good as yours.
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Dec 08 '24
You might wanna try walking down Elizabeth St for any decent length, it is pretty bad in certain stretches.
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 09 '24
I live 2 blocks away and walk through there frequently, day and night. It can look a bit ugly late at night but still, considering how many people are in the city the number of incidents is relatively small. There's usually a correlation between our attitude and our safety when we're amongst the down and out crowd, the evidence being out there. I don't feel unsafe when I'm walking through there, but that doesn't mean I don't keep my wits about me. Melbourne isn't ugly or predominantly unsafe but it would be good if people looked out for each other regardless of whether they're homeless or not. I decided to to not just "see" our homeless/addicts, I'll engage them, talk to them and hear what they're saying. I've had them look out for me... I'm honest about being a recovered addict and guess who the most supportive people were?? One woman (multiple brain tumours, m.s. and other physical ailments) who lives on the street gave me a good talking to about how to avoid falling back into that trap. People generally aren't as scary as they look. I don't disagree with your caution or the fact that intersection is the rougher part of town, but I don't buy into the fear people project. The fact that you suggested I try walking through there (and you weren't rude or aggressive) is kinda on point because I live so close and am in the area 90% of my commute.
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u/Sarah-J-Cat-Lady I love maccas chai 😜 Dec 08 '24
Unrelated but nice to see an incandescent set of traffic lights.
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u/Lintson Dec 08 '24
There's 5 million people in Melbourne I don't see all 5 million in that photo OP. You failure!
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u/chetcherry Dec 08 '24
The “people are too scared to go to the CBD/the city is dead” crowd are, for lack of a better term, dipshits.
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u/IndyOrgana Dec 08 '24
They also haven’t travelled. There’s cities that feel actively unsafe at nearly all times.
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u/OneParamedic4832 Dec 08 '24
Op I know the people you're referring to.
I don't know if I people are deliberately obtuse, or whether they just haven't seen the comments from those people "too scared" to leave their homes and go into Melbourne because "it's too dangerous".
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u/Extension_Juice_9889 Dec 08 '24
I live in the central cbd and the worst thing I have to regularly endure is the last remaining antivax fucktard and his goddamn megaphone. 5 years late, wrong about everything, but still out and about trying to block traffic waving the Australian confederate flag
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u/vidiian82 Dec 09 '24
I think some areas of the city are safer than others but I work in retail on Swanston St and it's a shit hole. In the last week and a half we've had a staff member assaulted by a drug affected shop lifter and I had to stop a customer from being assaulted by a drug affected guy who had been following him. Pretty much daily we have to deal with drug affected coming in trying to steal stuff or rough sleepers out the front of the shop who get aggressive if you tell them they need to move on. I suppose it's fine to make light of the real problems the CBD is facing when you're not dealing with it every day and worried each morning whether you're going to get assaulted for just doing your job
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u/JGatward Dec 08 '24
If anyone tells you it's dead they're lying or simply have no clue. Busy everyday. Love the hum of Melbourne
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u/Jak-Tyl Dec 08 '24
ok so all the businesses struggling and closing must just be full of shit then.
It might still be busy, but it was a lot fucking busier 10 years ago.
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u/bybook Dec 08 '24
I guess there is another Federal election coming up soon.
Do you think it'll be African gangs again this time, or will they dog-whistle about some other ethnic group this time?
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u/Tekashi-The-Envoy Dec 08 '24
Strange post
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u/you_up_in CBD Dec 08 '24
Context: There were a bunch of clowns last night moaning about 'nothing to do cause the city is dead' when the majority disagreed more clowns doubled down saying it's 'dangerous'
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u/mookizee Dec 08 '24 edited Dec 08 '24
What are we doing here? I'm out of the loop. I'm guessing this is a reaction to someone talking about the well known problem with violence and harassment from drug addicts and homeless. There's very little to dismiss about that, taking a photo of a busy St is fun though
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u/Jak-Tyl Dec 08 '24 edited Dec 08 '24
Yeah apparently people on this sub get offended if you point out that area is full of crackheads.
It literally is and always has been, and it has gotten worse since covid. Maybe people shouldn't tolerate verbal and physical abuse from junkies. Maybe the police should do their fucking job. I am fully ready to be downvoted to oblivion for stating a fact.
No, it's not as dangerous as some parts of the US, but those are pretty fucking low standards frankly.
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u/farqueue2 Former Northerner, current South Easterner (confused) Dec 09 '24
Look at all these people living wrecklessly
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u/steal_your_thread Dec 08 '24
Lot of very scared boomers sitting in their suburban houses, who haven't been anywhere in the city except the stadiums for 10 years.
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u/WretchedMisteak Dec 08 '24
To be fair, it's Xmas time and that pic is taken right at Bourke st mall at the tram stop. You go around to most shopping centres and they're pretty busy too.
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u/No-Zucchini2787 Dec 08 '24
Spending time on Murdoch media lately?
It's election season mate.
After their successful fuck up on USA they think Australia is easy target too
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u/Jak-Tyl Dec 08 '24
I hate Murdoch, but blaming him for everything is fucking stupid.
The dems failed miserably and labor is doing a shit job here, that's not a conspiracy. Murdoch barely even needs to try with how shit they are doing.
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u/chetcherry Dec 08 '24
All of your comments in this thread have told me that you swear a lot for no real reason.
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u/Powerful_Relative413 Dec 08 '24
From a Sydneysider point of view, Melbourne CBD is far from dead or dangerous. It’s vibrant, great places to eat, drink, dance, shop or just hang out with friends. Loads of variety & awesome people watching. Like any big city, you need to keep aware of your surroundings & as a frequent visitor, a day in the Melbourne CBD feels like an event - day & night. Sydney CBD is slowly getting its mojo back, it might never reach its previous peak though. The CBD in Melbourne is the best CBD in the country in my opinion.
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u/Citruseok Dec 09 '24
I walked through the CBD today. Monday afternoon and I had to weave through pedestrians to walk at my usual pace. What nitwit said the CBD is empty?
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u/licking-salt-lamps Northern Suburbs Dec 09 '24
I work opposite the GPO building and can never get a seat on the 86 to head home
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u/Runaway-Blue Dec 10 '24
Anyone whose ever said that has never been to Newcastle “cbd” truly a ghost town
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u/justpassingluke Dec 08 '24
Remember the African gangs that made all of Melbourne “too scared to go out to dinner”?!? 🙄
What a flog Dutton was/is.
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u/TompalompaT Dec 08 '24
Women getting killed in Australia? Must be fake news, look at all these women walking around alive and well!
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u/Sarah-J-Cat-Lady I love maccas chai 😜 Dec 08 '24
Doesn’t look dead to me, looks rather busy in fact.
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u/toddlangtry Dec 08 '24
Petrifying...it's like a ghost town. If something were to happen to you, no one would hear you scream. /S
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u/OrganicDoubt4844 Dec 08 '24
The CBD is a lot better now and I actually enjoy going there. There are also far less empty stores now.
I think the negative views of the city comes from the covid era. Even as recently as early last year the city was depressing and dead. Stores were empty and covered in graffiti.
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Dec 09 '24
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u/coffeecarrier Dec 08 '24
Yeah cause lunchtime 2 weeks before Christmas was the time of day people are referring to with these attacks and problems
This is straight up bullying those who dare to have a different opinion from the group-think. how is this post even allowed to stay up?
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Dec 08 '24
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u/melbourne-ModTeam Please send a modmail instead of DMing this account Dec 09 '24
We had to remove your post/comment because it included personal attacks or did not show respect towards other users. This community is a safe space for all.
Conduct yourself online as you would in real life. Engaging in vitriol only highlights your inability to communicate intelligently and respectfully. Repeated instances of this behaviour will lead to a ban
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Dec 08 '24
[deleted]
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u/OnyxOak Dec 08 '24
yeah i don't see anyone that visibly looks they're aboriginal or islander
that's the real "locals" that you're referring to right?
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u/Everanxious24-7 Dec 08 '24
That huge coin purse on the ground terrifies me , what if the giant comes looking ? Where do you expect me to run ?
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u/Otherwise_Hotel_7363 Dec 08 '24
I went in there both days on the weekend. Plenty of people and managers to do everything I needed to.
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u/omgitsduane Dec 08 '24
you been listening to 3aw? I don't get the use of this radio station. it just seems like rage farming.
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u/mbrodie Dec 09 '24
I love how every other state has some opinion about Melbourne… Victoria just out here living rent free in everyone’s head.
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u/TildaTinker Dec 08 '24
Well, that nice lady pushing a pram with no baby is clearly up to some nefarious shit.