Geelong's abusive council is in limbo, with a deal yet to be done on sacking councillors after a damning report.
It found paparazzo-turned-mayor Darryn Lyons, some councillors and a collection of staff were bullying and abusive.
"F*** me, I'm the mayor, I don't need to be meeting with someone one week and then meeting with them the next," Mr Lyons told one staff member.
He threatened to close down a local business after yelling at its staff, before later telling investigators he did not remember the incident.
Mr Lyons also asked if outside staff were "f***ing dumb" and threatened the council's chief executive with defamation if bullying allegations were made public.
One council manager took to a chemicals shed with an axe after a pregnant worker asked for some ventilation.
"Ventilation, I'll give you f***ing ventilation," the manager said before attacking the shed walls with an axe.
The report found a councillor threatened to take a staff member to a "dark place that she would not like" if they did not comply with the councillor's wishes.
Another councillor retweeted a tweet describing a local citizen as a "Greek property parasite".
She also used her position to spread false rumours about a former employee's family.
The deal to sack the council has to pass the Victorian parliament but is being held up as the government and opposition parties negotiate over a future election date and new mayoral voting model.
The report recommends a 2020 election, the opposition wants it to be earlier.
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