Melbourne may never fully recover from the second COVID-19 lockdown 

With boarded-up shops, abandoned businesses and restaurant chairs left to rot on the street, Melbourne resembles disaster zone.

Stark images from Australia’s second biggest city lay bare the scale of destruction wrought by Daniel Andrews’ stage-four lockdown.

Graffiti covers empty office blocks, for-lease signs line shop windows and a mural of Mr Andrews smirking presides over a deserted street.      

Devastation: With boarded-up shops, abandoned businesses and restaurant chairs left to rot on the street, Melbourne resembles disaster zone

Empty streets: Graffiti covers empty office blocks, for lease signs line shop windows and a mural (pictured) of Mr Andrews smiling presides over a deserted street

Empty streets: Graffiti covers empty office blocks, for lease signs line shop windows and a mural (pictured) of Mr Andrews smiling presides over a deserted street

Bleak: Stark images from Australia's second biggest city lay bare the scale of destruction wrought by Daniel Andrews' stage-four lockdown. Pictured: An empty office

Bleak: Stark images from Australia’s second biggest city lay bare the scale of destruction wrought by Daniel Andrews’ stage-four lockdown. Pictured: An empty office

Economic destruction: As up to 400,000 residents are pushed out of work, a backlash against the draconian lockdown is gaining momentum. Pictured: Empty Lygon Street in Melbourne on Thursday

Economic destruction: As up to 400,000 residents are pushed out of work, a backlash against the draconian lockdown is gaining momentum. Pictured: Empty Lygon Street in Melbourne on Thursday

A city in strife: Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp estimated that as many as 15 per cent of businesses in her city will never open again after such a long period without income. Pictured: An office covered in graffiti

A city in strife: Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp estimated that as many as 15 per cent of businesses in her city will never open again after such a long period without income. Pictured: An office covered in graffiti 

As up to 400,000 residents are pushed out of work, a backlash against the draconian lockdown is gaining momentum. 

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp estimated that as many as 15 per cent of businesses in her city will never open again after such a long period without income.

Free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs believes that stage four restrictions, which have shut all non-essential businesses and introduced an 8pm curfew for six weeks, are causing a ‘humanitarian tragedy’.

Free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs believes that stage four restrictions, which have shut all non-essential businesses and introduced an 8pm curfew for six weeks, are causing a 'humanitarian tragedy'. Pictured: A property for lease

Free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs believes that stage four restrictions, which have shut all non-essential businesses and introduced an 8pm curfew for six weeks, are causing a ‘humanitarian tragedy’. Pictured: A property for lease

Daniel Wild, Director of Research at the IPA, told Daily Mail Australia: 'The scourge of mass unemployment, widespread closure of small businesses, and isolation and loneliness is spreading across the state.' Pictured: Lygon Street

Daniel Wild, Director of Research at the IPA, told Daily Mail Australia: ‘The scourge of mass unemployment, widespread closure of small businesses, and isolation and loneliness is spreading across the state.’ Pictured: Lygon Street

Federal housing minister Michael Sukkar last week warned Victoria is facing 'permanent damage'. Pictured: A cafe sends a message to its customers

Federal housing minister Michael Sukkar last week warned Victoria is facing ‘permanent damage’. Pictured: A cafe sends a message to its customers

Daniel Wild, Director of Research at the IPA, told Daily Mail Australia: ‘The scourge of mass unemployment, widespread closure of small businesses, and isolation and loneliness is spreading across the state.’

‘Many Victorians have forgotten what it is like to live and are losing hope. Work, community participation, sport, and connections with family and friends are what makes life worth living. 

‘The devastation of the lockdown measures will be with Victorians and Australians for generations.’

Similarly, federal housing minister Michael Sukkar last week warned Victoria is facing ‘permanent damage’.

‘I’m frustrated, my heart breaks for the people that I have calling my office on a daily basis explaining to me that businesses they’ve spent decades building up are now probably gone,’ he told Sky News.  

A national government survey in July, before Melbourne entered stage four restrictions, found that 10 per cent of businesses will be forced to close when support measures such as JobKeeper are withdrawn. Pictured: A closed restaurant flogs its seats

A national government survey in July, before Melbourne entered stage four restrictions, found that 10 per cent of businesses will be forced to close when support measures such as JobKeeper are withdrawn. Pictured: A closed restaurant flogs its seats

The IPA estimated 230,000 small businesses will close and 470,000 jobs will be permanently lost when support is ended. Pictured: Lygon Street in Melbourne on Thursday

The IPA estimated 230,000 small businesses will close and 470,000 jobs will be permanently lost when support is ended. Pictured: Lygon Street in Melbourne on Thursday

Premier Andrews is facing calls to step down over the state's hotel quarantine failure. The virus escaped from quarantine in late May. Pictured: Tables packed to one side of the pavement

Premier Andrews is facing calls to step down over the state’s hotel quarantine failure. The virus escaped from quarantine in late May. Pictured: Tables packed to one side of the pavement

The Andrews government is facing heavy criticism for not enforcing quarantine with police or the army like New South Wales and Queensland. Pictured: Empty Lygon Street in Melbourne

The Andrews government is facing heavy criticism for not enforcing quarantine with police or the army like New South Wales and Queensland. Pictured: Empty Lygon Street in Melbourne

A national government survey in July, before Melbourne entered stage four restrictions, found that 10 per cent of businesses will be forced to close when support measures such as JobKeeper are withdrawn.

The IPA estimated that would mean 230,000 small businesses will close and 470,000 jobs will be permanently lost.

It comes as calls grow for Premier Andrews to step down over the state’s hotel quarantine failure.

Victoria’s deadly second wave of coronavirus was sparked after guards enforcing the quarantine program caught the illness in late May. 

It later emerged guards had breached social distancing rules and some were accused of allowing separate families to play cards and even having sex with returned travellers. 

This image taken outside one of Melbourne's quarantine hotels appears to support the accounts of dozens of workers and returned travellers who say private security guards (pictured) failed to take the quarantine operation seriously before the virus escaped

This image taken outside one of Melbourne’s quarantine hotels appears to support the accounts of dozens of workers and returned travellers who say private security guards (pictured) failed to take the quarantine operation seriously before the virus escaped

The Andrews government is facing heavy criticism for not enforcing quarantine with police or the army like New South Wales and Queensland. 

On Thursday it the Herald Sun reported that 100 ADF troops were placed on standby to help but the state government never used them. 

Liberal backbencher James Newbury told Daily Mail Australia that Victorians have ‘lost faith’ in the premier, adding: ‘Daniel Andrews has lost control and failed as Premier.’

Another Liberal MP told the AFR that voters are starting to turn against the previously popular Andrews.  

‘For the first time I am getting emails against him. I go down the streets and people are angry. They don’t see the logic in the decisions,’ the MP said.

‘People who work in a factory by themselves can’t go to work. Why can’t a bloke who is Jim’s Mowing, by himself, can’t go and mow a lawn at a commercial premises where there is no one else?’

Daniel Andrews (pictured on Wednesday) has been branded a 'failure' after his government said Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp was behind the decision to use security guards to man hotel quarantine

Daniel Andrews (pictured on Wednesday) has been branded a ‘failure’ after his government said Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp was behind the decision to use security guards to man hotel quarantine

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