Bizarre letter tells wealthy Aussies to ‘give away’ homes and cars to avoid unrest

Residents of an affluent Victorian suburb have been warned to give away their homes and cars, or face dire consequences, in a bizarre letter.

Residents of an affluent Victorian suburb have received an ominous warning to give away their homes and cars, or face dire consequences, in a bizarre letter left in their mailboxes.

The mysterious letter, signed by “concerned friends”, was delivered around the leafy southeast Melbourne suburb of Toorak over the past week.

It blamed Toorak homeowners for the nationwide cost of living crisis, accusing them of “taking more than their fair share”, and warning them to take the message “seriously”.

Toorak residents received an anonymous letter in their mail saying they are ‘too rich’. Picture: Twitter/Jenny Taylor

“We’re concerned about the damage you’re doing to our society,” the letter read.

“You’re too wealthy, and that’s harming a lot of people.

“Millions of people are struggling to pay their rents, mortgages, energy bills and to afford healthy food. They don’t have enough because you and others like you have too much.

“That’s because resources are finite. The more you have, the less there is for others, and at the moment you’re taking more than your fair share.

“For things to improve for people who don’t have enough, some of your wealth must go to them.”

The letter warns if homeowners do nothing, they “put us all in danger” – not only of wealth inequality, but of the “resentment and anger” it causes, which could lead to “unrest and violence”.

The letter warns their wealth is putting ‘us all in danger’. Picture: Twitter/Jenny Taylor

Toorak locals are advised by these “friends” to hand over a “substantial portion of your wealth” to avoid this fate and “steer our society towards harmony and away from chaos”.

They are advised to give their investment properties to any occupying renters, give their holiday homes to long-term renters, and give away their extra cars.

“Don’t worry,” they write. “You’ll still be able to live a comfortable life with a lot less than you have at present.”

The ‘concerned friends’ advise Toorak locals to give up their homes and cars to avoid ‘chaos’. Picture: Twitter/Jenny Taylor

Locals were left bewildered by the “hilarious” demands in the letter, with some doubting it was even written by a “battler”.

Others argued it was not fair to demand some people who were “lucky enough to earn a lot of money” give away the things they “worked hard for”.

“I reckon most folk work hard for what they’ve got, be it great or small,” one person wrote.

“The letter is yuck and has a menacing feel.”

“I am a renter and definitely working class and I don’t begrudge [those] who drive their BMW’s to the local farmers’ market,” another wrote.

One user described the letter as “harsh” and said a group “can’t bully someone because someone has been lucky enough to earn a lot of money”.

“What people have is hardworking earnings, some people have extra because their parents also worked hard, and [their] grandparents, it’s a circle in life. If you want something you need to earn it, simple.”

Toorak resident Anna told theHerald Sun she was “bemused” when she received the note on Thursday.

“It’s designed to make us feel really guilty,” she said.

“We pay our taxes and give to charities, that’s how the system works.”

Toorak is widely considered one of Melbourne's richest suburbs, home to many wealthy and high-profile Australians – including billionaire businessman Lindsay Fox and media mogul Eddie McGuire.

At last estimate, the median price for a home in the leafy southeast Melbourne suburb was $5.3 million, according to realestate.com.au.

Originally published as Bizarre letter tells wealthy Aussies to ‘give away’ homes and cars to avoid unrest