Port Phillip Council silences Middle Park provocateur Adrian Jackson

THE Middle Park critic who embarrassed Port Phillip Council by hijacking its recent Twitter promotion has been banned from speaking in the chamber.

Council silences 'provoc...

THE Middle Park critic who embarrassed Port Phillip Council by hijacking its recent Twitter promotion has been banned from speaking in the chamber.

Adrian Jackson, an ex-serviceman who runs a Richardson St B & B, has been a familiar face at council meetings since 1994 and is a vocal opponent of the Labor Party.

Mr Jackson's persistent and highly critical questioning of left-wing councillors has traditionally been tolerated.

But the council's new chief executive Tracey Slatter has thrown the book at the provocative hotelier.

Mr Jackson contacted the Leader on December 17 after receiving an official letter from Ms Slatter, advising that his "behaviour during public question time on December 10 was unacceptable".

Ms Slatter wrote that Mr Jackson had breached council rules by "consistently disobeying or ignoring" Mayor Amanda Stevens' directions, and for "offensive and abusive" comments.

The letter banned him from speaking at council meetings "until further notice", noting that such privileges were discretionary.

At the December 10 meeting, Mr Jackson said he had asked Cr Stevens "whether she was a communist" and was cut off after asking three of his planned five questions.

Mr Jackson admitted that when he exited the council chambers on December 10 after being told he could not ask any more questions, he said words to the effect of: "I hope she gets ovarian cancer".

"It was a tacky comment, but you say these things if you're annoyed," he said.

But he believed the council was punishing him for the embarrassing media attention he generated by winning its Twitter competition.

"I'm having my Mandela moment now, or perhaps it's my Kim Jong-il's (sic) uncle's moment," Mr Jackson said.

He said he saw his role in council meetings - which he attends religiously - as being "to ask questions that interest me and also to have another point of view that's not solely of the left".

Council records show Mr Jackson posed an average three queries during public question time at each council meeting in the past year, not including verbal submissions on agenda items.

The Leader reported on December 6 that Mr Jackson had won a $50 shopping voucher for his tweet suggesting Fishermans Bend be nicknamed Prince George Landing.

This suggestion was meant as a jibe at Albert Park Labor MP Martin Foley.

Port Phillip Council executive manager Mark Brady said while the council prided itself on its policy of open and transparent governance, "in instances where members of the public behave inappropriately or make extremely offensive remarks, as was the case (on December 10), then the privilege of addressing council in public meetings will be withdrawn".