TWO Birkdale ratepayers are disputing a ban they have received from Redland City Council amid rising tension over a contentious development in their neighbourhood.
David Brewer and Merv Mortenson have been blocked from calling the council and restricted from mentioning the Gardenia Drive development in written correspondence such as emails and letters.
The pair have complained about the housing development since 2016, including that poor drainage has caused extensive property flooding during rain events.
They have both received letters from council chief executive Andrew Chesterman outlining that calls made to the council or officers would be terminated.
Mr Chesterman wrote that the pair had displayed unreasonable persistence, lack of cooperation and had been putting forward unreasonable arguments.
He said the council had accommodated their concerns and made frequent contact with the pair about the Gardenia Drive development.
"I now consider it necessary to impose certain restrictions on your future contact with council," he wrote.
"I, therefore, give you formal notice that council will only accept communication from you in writing.
"I take these steps with the greatest reluctance. However, equity and the impact on the time and resources of council leaves me no alternative."
Mr Mortenson took exception to the letter and says he has lodged a complaint with the state ombudsman.
"I reckon it would be the most dysfunctional [and] disorganised council," he said.
"That [letter] is defamatory towards me because as far as I'm concerned I've done absolutely nothing wrong and it is my god-given right to go back and complain if there is a problem.
"I just want this problem to be solved and go away."
A Redland City Council spokeswoman said customers could lodge an Administrative Action Complaint to appeal restrictions.
"Council does not like enacting this policy and engages in many months of correspondence with customers before it is enacted. The number of residents impacted is confidential," she said.
"The policy and guideline applies to council employees and councillors."
Mr Brewer slammed the council's handing of the situation and argued he should have the right as a ratepayer to speak with his councillor.
"I have not had a lot to do with the council before this [development], but this has been going on since 2016 now and it has been atrocious," he said.
"We organised a petition for the two streets [in 2016] and handed it to the council, but they've lost it."
The council spokeswoman said each case was managed and reviewed individually.
"The policy and guideline are based on the Queensland Ombudsman's process for managing unreasonable complainant conduct," she said.
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