'Revolting' scenes in Melbourne's CBD as workers remain at home

Melbourne's CBD is almost unrecognisable from this time last year as Victoria heads towards its 12 month anniversary since the first coronavirus lockdown.

As workers clock one year since they were told they must work from home if they could, the bustling city streets quickly turned into a wasteland and sadly, little has changed.

Today, Lord Mayor Sally Capp described from of the scenes around the CBD as "revolting".

© NineLord Mayor Sally Capp said she witnessed some disgusting scenes in Melbourne's CBD this week.

Talking to Neil Mitchell on 3AW, Cr Capp said she visited King Street on Sunday to alarming scenes.

"I did walk down King Street on Sunday morning to look at what was happening, and what I saw was absolutely revolting and is unacceptable.

"We know we need to put more resources into streets where frankly inappropriate behaviour is happening," she said.

Cr Capp said graffiti and vandalism were a particular problem, and said with the city streets so empty people were less accountable and the waste more visible.

Up to 75 per cent of staff were allowed to return to the workplace from Monday after Victoria's snap five-day lockdown last month.

But while employees are able to largely return to offices, working from home remains the cheaper, more convenient way to work.

Cr Capp said the city had been "absolutely devastated" and more efforts needed to be made to bring people back to the CBD.

"We are in that phase of pulling ourselves out and recovering.

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© NineThe lack of workers in the city turned the CBD into a wasteland during the pandemic.

"We need to shout out to the fact we have a lot of local businesses still in economic hardship and its because we need to be able to bring people back to the city.

"(Recovery) is about bringing people back to the city, about workers returning to their city workplaces, bringing visitors back and we know it may take some time for international visitors to return," she said.

The Lord Mayor said Southbank foot traffic was up 50 per cent on the last three week average, but down up to 60 per cent midweek compared to normal year on year numbers.

Cr Mayor said she was looking forward to seeing the city bustling this weekend at a sold out Moomba festival.

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© NineSouthbank has experienced a significant fall in pedestrian foot traffic.

Public transport and parking will be free over the weekend for the event.

Victoria today recorded no new COVID-19 cases for the sixth day in a row.

There are currently seven active cases in the state after more than 19,000 tests were processed in the past 24 hours.