Former Immigration Minister Scott Morrison threatened to revoke the rights of an inner-city Melbourne council to conduct Australia Day citizenship ceremonies after a stoush with its mayor.

In one of his last acts as minister before he was moved to the social services portfolio by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Mr Morrison wrote to the mayor of Moreland, who had protested reading out a ministerial message during the ceremonies.

Moreland Mayor Meghan Hopper does not want to read out a ministerial message at citizenship ceremonies. Credit:Teagan Glenane

The message is meant to be read before official speeches.

Moreland City Council mayor Meghan Hopper told Mr Morrison she did not want to read aloud the message because of the government's controversial asylum seeker policies.