As urban populations soar, an increase in rubbish and littering tends to follow. To avoid the deterioration of city streets, some argue that local people themselves need to take responsibility, whereas others feel that it is the government that should be taking care of this. In my view, while I agree that the authorities do need to enforce certain rules and provide facilities, ultimately it is the residents who have to self-regulate and maintain their neighbourhoods. In order for streets to be kept tidy, the government must maintain a system of rubbish collection and cleaning. In my suburb of Mentone, for instance, the council collects rubbish every week, and there are also cleaners who tend to the parks and public spaces every two days. Without these regular activities, streets would quickly descend into chaos with overflowing bins, blocked drains and dirty sidewalks. As taxpayers, it is reasonable to expect the authorities, to whom we pay our taxes, to play some role in...