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Darryn Lyons: Australia's 'Mr Paparazzi' faces sack as mayor | Darryn Lyons: Australia's 'Mr Paparazzi' faces sack as mayor |
(about 20 hours later) | |
Flamboyant Australian mayor and ex-paparazzo Darryn​ Lyons and his entire council are expected to be sacked. | Flamboyant Australian mayor and ex-paparazzo Darryn​ Lyons and his entire council are expected to be sacked. |
The Victoria lower house has passed a bill to sack Geelong City Council after a report alleged endemic bullying, poor leadership and incompetence. | |
The bill must now pass the Victoria upper house, where the government does not hold the balance of power. | |
Mr Lyons said the move was "shutting down democracy" and denied claims of dysfunction within his council. | Mr Lyons said the move was "shutting down democracy" and denied claims of dysfunction within his council. |
"It's business as usual, as far as I'm concerned [and] I will be going about my business loud and proud," he told Melbourne's 3AW radio. | "It's business as usual, as far as I'm concerned [and] I will be going about my business loud and proud," he told Melbourne's 3AW radio. |
The Commission of Inquiry into Greater Geelong City's report alleged that Mr Lyons verbally abused staff using profane language, sometimes within earshot of other employees. | The Commission of Inquiry into Greater Geelong City's report alleged that Mr Lyons verbally abused staff using profane language, sometimes within earshot of other employees. |
The report said that stressed mayoral staff were moved to separate offices in the council building, which prompted Mr Lyons to threaten the council's chief executive officer with a defamation suit should allegations of bullying emerge. | The report said that stressed mayoral staff were moved to separate offices in the council building, which prompted Mr Lyons to threaten the council's chief executive officer with a defamation suit should allegations of bullying emerge. |
"There is a deep-seated culture of bullying not only within the council itself, but also within council administration," the report said. | "There is a deep-seated culture of bullying not only within the council itself, but also within council administration," the report said. |
In an incident that did not involve Mr Lyons or other councillors, a manager allegedly frightened a pregnant staff member by cutting holes in a wall with an axe after she asked for ventilation. | In an incident that did not involve Mr Lyons or other councillors, a manager allegedly frightened a pregnant staff member by cutting holes in a wall with an axe after she asked for ventilation. |
The bill to sack the council was introduced by Labor's Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins. | The bill to sack the council was introduced by Labor's Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins. |
Mayor's flamboyant past | Mayor's flamboyant past |
Mr Lyons accused Labor of playing "party politics", but Ms Hutchins said there was no choice but to sack the council. | Mr Lyons accused Labor of playing "party politics", but Ms Hutchins said there was no choice but to sack the council. |
"The people of Geelong deserve better. The city is too important for it to be run by a dysfunctional council that is simply unable to work together," she said in a statement. | "The people of Geelong deserve better. The city is too important for it to be run by a dysfunctional council that is simply unable to work together," she said in a statement. |
Ms Hutchins said parliament would be asked to dismiss the council until elections in October 2020 to "ensure a fresh start", with an administrator brought in to run its affairs. | Ms Hutchins said parliament would be asked to dismiss the council until elections in October 2020 to "ensure a fresh start", with an administrator brought in to run its affairs. |
Mr Lyons, who branded himself Mr Paparazzi, attained a modest level of celebrity in Australia and the UK through his photography agency and television appearances. | |
He was widely ridiculed after revealing on the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother that a surgeon had "body sculpted" his six-pack of abs through a surgical procedure. | He was widely ridiculed after revealing on the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother that a surgeon had "body sculpted" his six-pack of abs through a surgical procedure. |
He returned to his hometown of Geelong in the Australian state of Victoria after his picture agency, Big Pictures, went into administration in the UK. | He returned to his hometown of Geelong in the Australian state of Victoria after his picture agency, Big Pictures, went into administration in the UK. |
He was elected mayor of Geelong in 2013. | He was elected mayor of Geelong in 2013. |