Melbourne: Greedily bulk-buying toilet paper

Netta Justice from Melbourne found it rather strange a couple of weeks ago when she saw people greedily bulk buying toilet paper.

Photo by Netta Justice

We’ve had a surreal summer here in Australia. After a season of devastating bushfires along comes Covid-19 to really test the ‘no worries’ attitude of the nation. Well, people are starting to worry, and when one person worries the next person does, and that’s when mayhem sets in. I found it rather strange a couple of weeks ago when I saw people greedily bulk buying toilet paper, laughing to myself of the overreaction. Well now, down to my last roll, and with all local stores emptied of their shelves, I find myself in a spot of bother. Turning to my online neighbourhood group, I am warmed to see that there is another side to the community – those offering to share their stockpile of goods with neighbours in need, or those now in isolation. With the cancelation of some of the city’s biggest events involving gatherings of more than 500 people, like the F1 Grand Prix and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the wider effects of this crisis will really be felt. It will take some time, but in the words of Victoria’s premier Dan Andrews “We're all in this together – and we'll get through it together.”

This story originally appeared online at A City Made By People, an international network of 20+ cities and local communities of citizens who like to celebrate liveability, and a partner of #spreadstoriesnotthevirus. The story was written by Netta Justice, city captain for Melbourne who can be found on Twitter at @MMadebypeople.