In short:
Former Wyndham mayor Kim McAliney is urging the state government to install a monitor at Wyndham Council, citing dysfunction and axed services. Her comments sparked a fiery rebuke from councillor Josh Gilligan, drawing criticism from Council Watch over “scorched earth politics.”
Gilligan brands McAliney a “raging lunatic”
A former Wyndham mayor is urging Local Government Minister Nick Staikos to appoint a monitor to oversee Wyndham City Council, citing ongoing dysfunction and poor governance.
Kim McAliney, who first called for ministerial intervention in 2021, said council’s conduct has worsened in recent years.
“We have had councillors … name-calling, saying they are drinking on the job, flipping each other off,” she said.
“A board of governance all have to be on the same page, but if there is constant bickering, then you have to start asking questions about their ability to govern effectively.
“The council should all be working together for the best outcome of the community, but what I am seeing isn’t robust discussion, it is destruction of discussions that is creating silos in our community.”
Ms McAliney raised concerns about the axing of major events and services, including the State Rose and Garden Show and free snake removal, without direct consultation with residents.
“We have iconic events being cut without community consultations … Yet we pay for private security in Truganina – that should be with the state government and Victoria Police,” she said.
She also pointed to recent clashes between local MPs and the council over spending. “In the history of my terms on council, local state members have never ever openly criticised council operations,” she said. “The minister needs to listen.”
A Local Government Victoria spokesperson said there are measures available to support councils, improve governance and address improper conduct where necessary. “Councils have a responsibility to represent the communities they serve,” the spokesperson said.
Gilligan responds
Wyndham councillor Josh Gilligan hit back strongly, posting on Facebook that Ms McAliney was a “raging lunatic” and accusing her of “sprouting anti-government propaganda you usually see from the sovereign citizen movement.”
He alleged she resigned abruptly in 2020 under circumstances he intends to raise at the October council meeting by moving to release confidential minutes. He also highlighted her past employment with a Labor MP and claimed she had previously been named in Parliament for destabilising conduct.
Escalating political tone
Council Watch, a governance commentary platform, described Cr Gilligan’s comments as “scorched earth politics,” saying they set a dangerous precedent.
In its analysis, the group said councillors using their platforms to vilify residents or former councillors undermined trust in local government.
“Today it’s a former Mayor. Tomorrow it could be any community member who writes a letter, speaks at a meeting, or dares to organise a petition,” the commentary noted.
The group criticised the silence of sector bodies such as the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) and the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), warning that tolerance of such behaviour risks eroding democratic standards.
“Democracy dies not with heckling from the public gallery, but when those in power believe their platform gives them a license to intimidate,” Council Watch said.
Possible Policy Breaches
Cr Gilligan’s Facebook post has also raised questions about compliance with Wyndham City’s Councillor Social Media Policy 2025–2029, adopted in July this year.
The policy requires councillors to behave “with courtesy, honesty and respect,” and explicitly prohibits trolling, bullying, harassment, and posts that could bring the council into disrepute. It also warns against misleading the public or misrepresenting others’ views.
By branding Ms McAliney a “raging lunatic”, accusing her of spreading “sovereign citizen propaganda,” and foreshadowing the use of confidential minutes to discredit her, Gilligan’s remarks appear to mirror the policy’s own examples of trolling and personal attack.
Governance observers say this places Wyndham in controversial territory, with councillor conduct itself now under scrutiny alongside the original calls for a monitor.
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