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 aimed at former mayor Kim McAliney.
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 referred to 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 arbiter Simon Heath found the comments were “belittling, demeaning, abusive and insulting,” breaching the Model Councillor Code of Conduct standards relating to behaviour and integrity.
The decision notes Cr Gilligan removed the post after several days, but it remained publicly visible for between three and five days, causing considerable distress to Ms McAliney.
It is further reported the arbiter found that suggestions about Ms McAliney’s reasons for resigning from council in 2020 risked undermining public confidence 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 indicated he would comply with the order, while disputing aspects of how the post was interpreted, saying he had faced persistent attacks on his character over several years and that the pressures of public office were “extraordinarily difficult.”
Under council governance arrangements, the mayoral office becomes vacant if the councillor is suspended. Deputy Mayor Preet Singh has assumed mayoral responsibilities for the interim period.
Cr Singh, a long-term resident and local business owner, represents Bemin Ward, which covers parts of Truganina and Laverton North.
He has advocated for community safety, sustainable growth, small business support and improved transport infrastructure in one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regions.
First elected in 2024, Cr Singh was appointed Deputy Mayor in November 2025 during council’s annual mayoral election.
Wyndham City Council has confirmed services and operations will continue as normal during the leadership change.
The one-month suspension represents a significant sanction under the internal arbitration framework, reinforcing the statutory limits on councillors’ conduct—particularly in public commentary directed at private citizens or former officeholders.
