Wyndham City Council Mayor Josh Gilligan has been suspended from office for one month after an independent arbiter found he engaged in misconduct over a Facebook post targeting former mayor Kim McAliney.
As per ABC News, the determination, made under Victoria’s Local Government Act 2020 and tabled at Tuesday night’s council meeting, followed a complaint lodged by fellow councillor Robert Szatkowski.
The post, published on 18 September 2025, allegedly described Ms McAliney as a “raging lunatic” and accused her of “sprouting anti-government propaganda you usually see from the sovereign citizen movement.”
It is reported that the arbiter, Simon Heath, found the remarks “belittling, demeaning, abusive and insulting,” breaching the Model Councillor Code of Conduct’s standards for behaviour and integrity.
The decision notes that while Cr Gilligan removed the post after several days, it remained publicly visible for between three and five days, causing considerable distress to Ms McAliney.
It is further reported that the arbiter also found that suggestions about her reasons for resigning from council in 2020 risked undermining public trust in local government.
Cr Gilligan has been ordered to publish a written apology to Ms McAliney on his Facebook page for at least 30 days. He also expressed his willingness to comply with the order, while disputing aspects of how the post was interpreted, stating that he had been subjected to persistent attacks on his character over several years and that the pressures of public office were “extraordinarily difficult.”
Under council governance arrangements, a mayor’s office becomes vacant if the councillor is suspended.
Deputy Mayor Preet Singh has stepped in to assume mayoral responsibilities for the interim period.
Cr Singh, a long-term resident and local business owner, represents the Bemin Ward, which covers parts of Truganina and Laverton North. He has been a vocal advocate for community safety, sustainable growth, small business support, and improved transport infrastructure in one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regions.
Cr Singh was first elected to council in 2024 and was elected Deputy Mayor in November 2025 during the council’s annual mayoral election.
His appointment reflects the community’s trust in his leadership and his focus on practical outcomes for Wyndham’s culturally diverse population, where more than 65 per cent of residents were born overseas.
Wyndham City Council has confirmed that council services and operations will continue as normal during the leadership change. The one-month suspension represents a significant sanction under the internal arbitration framework, underscoring the statutory limits on councillors’ conduct—particularly in public commentary directed at private citizens or former officeholders.
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