A weekend in Bendigo was a timely reminder of what happens when a council genuinely focuses on the basics. The city is spotless — clean streets, working fountains, beautifully maintained heritage buildings, and gardens bursting with tulips. Even the homes reflect pride in their surroundings, proof that when the environment is cared for, the community responds in kind.

I spoke with a local Uber driver who’d moved from Melbourne and had no plans to return. “It’s just nicer here — clean, calm, cared for,” he said. And he’s right. The parks are inviting, the streets feel safe, and the city runs with quiet efficiency.

Meanwhile, back in St Kilda, residents are navigating overflowing bins, rat traps behind supermarkets, and grease tubs left festering in laneways. The smaller supermarket on Inkerman Street sets a clear standard of care, yet Woolworths and Coles continue to let their private properties deteriorate.

Where is the City of Port Phillip in all this? Surely, it’s time for a stronger stance — issuing cleanup orders, fines, or even referring repeat offenders to the EPA. Perhaps redirecting some of the energy spent fining residents for minor bin or parking infractions toward holding major corporations accountable would be a good start.

Those large, wheeled bins may belong to supermarkets and retailers, but when they sit on public land, in such filth — such as the laneway between Woolworths and Acland Street, and the car park behind Readings — they become Council’s responsibility too.

Perhaps it’s time our city rediscovered what Bendigo already knows: when councils prioritise core services, civic pride follows naturally.