A prominent Leftist insists on his right to be abusive

Paul Keating is a former Leftist Prime Minister of Australia. He has always been much prone to scurrilous invective against anybody he disagrees with and that unpleasant trait appears to have been a large part of the reason why he was voted out of office after only one term. He seems to have learnt nothing from that, however. He has just resigned from a government job after he was told to stop abusing a Greenie

"Paul Keating has resigned as the chair of the Barangaroo Design Excellence Review Panel after a letter from Planning Minister Brad Hazzard told him to stop calling Clover Moore a "muesli chewer".

Mr Hazzard appeared to threaten Mr Keating's future in the job after writing him a letter yesterday. But last night Mr Keating sent his own letter back to Mr Hazzard saying that he was quitting.

In a letter to Mr Keating, released to The Daily Telegraph last night, Mr Hazzard said: "I specifically refer to the use of the words 'sandal-wearing, muesli-chewing, bike-riding pedestrians. I ask you to confirm to me that you will desist from any denigrating comments ... ".

Mr Keating replied that Ms Moore wanted to "vandalise" a proposed Headland Park by letting two cruise terminals be based there and he had a right to make remarks criticising her.

"The effect of your requirement that I desist from making relevant comments about the project would effectively muzzle me. Let me tell you, I am not going to be muzzled," he said. "Therefore, my continued chairmanship would be at odds with your Government's requirements, that I remain a mute figure."

Source

Note that it was a new conservative State government that told Keating to tone it down. The previous Leftist government saw no problem with his abuse.