Silencing Dissent: Council Refuses to Hear Small Business Owner Speak

Last night, the Adelaide City Council voted to refuse a deputation from Tom McLean — the owner of Jack & Jill’s Bar and one of several small business operators who have been caught in the middle of a policy mess around parklet fees.

Despite lodging a formal request to speak, Tom was blocked from addressing the chamber by the Lord Mayor, who claimed he had "already spoken on the issue." That is simply not true.

Tom’s previous deputation, delivered more than six months ago, related to the inconsistent application of parklet fees across the city. Last night, Tom sought to speak specifically to a live motion on the agenda, one calling for the reinstatement of his parklet and a review of the wildly inconsistent fees charged to different businesses.

This was not a repeated topic. It was not a procedural technicality. It was a deliberate political decision to silence a dissenting voice — one who had the evidence, the courage, and the public support to expose what many of us already suspect: that this Council treats some businesses very differently to others.

The Facts Speak for Themselves

• One parklet owner was charged over $34,000 in fees.

• Another had their $8,500 invoice quietly reduced to $1,500, no explanation given.

• A third was never charged a cent, in return for agreeing to remove their structure later.

  
  

Tom’s business — which invested tens of thousands of dollars in infrastructure, employed staff, and contributed to city vibrancy, was given no flexibility, no explanation, and ultimately had its parklet ripped out and destroyed. When he tried to tell his side of the story to the people elected to represent him, he was refused.

Worse still, the same Council meeting featured a lengthy administrative comment accusing Tom of owing fees and refusing payment — without giving him the basic right of reply.

This Is Not About Parklets — It's About Power

What happened last night wasn’t about fees. It was about control. When a small business owner challenges inconsistent policy decisions, they should be heard, not silenced.

Council can’t pretend to value transparency and then deny the floor to the very people affected by its decisions. It can’t talk about vibrancy and then punish the businesses that create it. And it certainly can’t claim fairness while charging three different businesses three different prices for the same use of public space.

Where I Stand

I supported the motion to reinstate the Jack & Jill’s parklet and to review the inconsistent charges applied across the city. Not because Tom is special, but because every business deserves to be treated equally under the rules.

And when someone presents a case to this Council — supported by evidence and backed by others — we owe them the courtesy of being heard.

We didn’t do that last night. And it’s not good enough.

The public deserves to know that when small businesses speak up, this chamber listens — even when it’s uncomfortable.

Because the right to be heard is not a privilege handed out by politicians. It’s a cornerstone of democracy.

Cr Henry Davis

Councillor, City of Adelaide