A wheelchair-bound man, who was left in pain and embarrassed after being forced to speak at a Melbourne council meeting without aids, has been awarded $5000.

 

Philip Barnes, who has multiple sclerosis, was discriminated against when disputing a proposed heritage listing at a Boroondara council meeting in 2017, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found on Wednesday.

 

The former town planner had to speak into a microphone at a fixed table during the July meeting and had to remove part of his wheelchair in order to reach.

 

Mr Barnes' feet became caught under his wheelchair as he moved to speak at the table, which caused him "acute pain and embarrassment".

 

"I find that the requirement, condition or practice imposed to address the meeting from a fixed table and to speak into a microphone on the fixed table was unreasonable," VCAT member Anita Smith said in her orders.

 

Before Mr Barnes spoke his daughter attempted to move the microphone towards him but failed, and no council officers made any attempts to offer assistance.

 

"Had a microphone been offered to him away from the table, he would not have suffered any disadvantage," Ms Smith found.

 

Representatives for Boroondara council argued it was up to Mr Barnes to notify the council if any modifications were needed.

 

However, Ms Smith found there was no way to do this and invitations to the meetings did not provide any way for a submitter to inform the council if they had any special needs.

 

The council in Melbourne's east was ordered to pay $5000 in compensation to Mr Barnes.