Police investigating reports that scammers are trying to cash in on the Bourke Street Fund

LORD Mayor Robert Doyle has condemned scammers trying to cash in on the Bourke St tragedy as people are called on to report phone calls asking for donations.

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UPDATE: SCAMMERS trying to cash in on the Bourke St tragedy have been denounced by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle.

An angry and emotional Cr Doyle said that police and Consumer Affairs were investigating reports that people were seeking donations for the Bourke Street Fund without authorisation.

“They are scammers, there is no proactive outreach either from the (State) Government or from the City of Melbourne by telephone or in person to seek donations for that fund,” he said this morning.

“It just beggars belief that sort of behaviour could happen, we don’t have a lot of reports but we do have a number of them now including someone who was telephoned.”

Consumer Affairs Victoria said it was aware of reports about people receing calls asking for donations to the Bourke St Fund, and stressed the only legitimate way to donate is via the Victorian Government website at vic.gov.au/bourkestreet

“If someone calls you asking for a donation to the fund, hang up,” the consumer watchdog said.

Anyone who receives such a call should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam

As the Lord Mayor spoke in front of the makeshift floral memorial on Bourke St outside the GPO, he revealed that preferred a permanent memorial to the victims to be located away from the mall.

“I’d like to see this being returned to being the centre of Melbourne that is ours,” he said.

“But I’d still want to see something that commemorates not just the lives lost but also the people who were injured.”

Cr Doyle also advised parents to consider whether to bring their children to see the temporary memorial.

“Please talk to one of the counsellors (deployed in Bourke St) about how they can explain this to children, particularly those who weren’t involved and maybe think twice about it,” he said.

“It’s quite a traumatising scene and there are lots of people who are very emotionally visibly affected.”

As revealed today by the Herald Sun plans are in motion to build a permanent memorial to the victims.

Talks have begun between Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Premier Daniel Andrews on the best way to incorporate the massive outpouring of grief and compassion in the growing floral tributes in the mall.

Cr Doyle was deeply moved by the tributes and singled out a card that read: “This city is our home, we all live here. What happens here happens to us all.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Lord Mayor Robert Doyle gaze at the floral shrine on Bourke St.

“I want to talk to my people and the Premier about what is the appropriate and respectful way to manage these tributes,” he said on Sunday.

“We may well take a lesson from what we did over Bali (bombing tributes), and that is preserve all those sentiments that are on those cards.”

“People’s heartfelt feelings are on bits of card — they’re on the ground and they’re worth preserving.”

Indiana, 3, and Stevie, 5, lay flowers from their own garden at the floral tribute. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Cr Doyle would not comment further on Tuesday, however, the Herald Sun believes that he and the State Government are considering similar responses to what happened after the 2002 Bali bombings, and Sydney’s Lindt cafe terrorist siege in 2014.

Melbourne’s permanent Bali memorial opened at Lincoln Square in Carlton in 2005 and features a fountain, incorporating 88 water jets — one for each Australian who died, and 202 lights to represent all of the victims.

The growing floral tribute on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets. Picture: Nicole Garmston

It is believed that details of the Bourke St memorial will be announced next Monday

More than $850,000 has already been raised by the State Government’s Bourke Street Fund, including $100,000 each from the state and federal governments.

Donate at vic.gov.au/bourkestreet