Councillor Walks Out As Monitors Step In

Wyndham City Council has been rocked by the resignation of former mayor Dr Jennie Barrera on the same day the Victorian Government nominated two municipal monitors to oversee the council, marking a dramatic escalation in a crisis that has now stretched well into its second month.

Cr Barrera announced her resignation as a Wyndham councillor effective immediately on 1 May 2026, saying she had formally delivered a written resignation to the Chief Executive Officer in accordance with Section 35 of the Local Government Act 2020.

In her statement, Cr Barrera said the council had become impossible to operate within.

“The current situation at Wyndham City makes it untenable to continue in my role as Councillor,” she said.

“The current environment makes it impossible to effectively represent the community’s interests and therefore prevents me fulfilling my role effectively.”

Cr Barrera served the Chaffey and Heathdale Wards for five and a half years and was Mayor of Wyndham City in 2023/2024. She said she remained proud of her tenure, highlighting work through the Welcoming City Portfolio, the Wyndham Reconciliation Advisory Committee, and the Faith Advisory Committee.

“I have always enjoyed working at a strategy and policy level where real change happens,” she said.

The councillor pointed directly to the leadership crisis at Wyndham as the reason for her departure, referencing the unanimous motion of no confidence against Mayor Preet Singh passed by all councillors on 27 April 2026.

“The current mayor has refused to step down. I have asked him many times to do so. All councillors have passed a motion of no confidence,” Cr Barrera said.

“I cannot standby and support the message that refusing to step down sends to young girls across the community.”

Cr Barrera, who continues as Chief Executive Officer of the Wyndham Community and Education Centre Inc., also acknowledged government reforms aimed at improving council environments.

“I acknowledge the State Government’s reforms through the Local Government Amendment (Governance and Integrity) Act 2024 to address issues to improve environments for councillors to work in. But the unprecedented situation Wyndham faces currently makes it impossible for me to remain,” she said.

She closed her statement by thanking residents and council staff.

“I thank everyone who supported me as a Chaffey ward and Heathdale ward councillor and across the municipality over the last five and a half years. I will always cherish the people I met and relationships built,” Cr Barrera said.

Monitors nominated

In a separate announcement on the same day, Minister for Local Government Paul Hamer nominated two municipal monitors for Wyndham City Council — Jim Gifford and Jo-Anne Mazzeo. Their appointments are subject to the required processes.

Mr Hamer said the appointments were intended to restore community trust.

“Victorians expect councils to maintain high standards and these monitors will work to restore the Wyndham community’s confidence in their councillors,” the Minister said.

“Mr Gifford and Ms Mazzeo’s extensive experience will serve them well in their roles.”

According to the government, Mr Gifford is a local government expert who recently acted as Commissioner on the Whittlesea Commission of Inquiry, while Ms Mazzeo has extensive experience across councillor conduct matters. The pair will focus on service delivery, culture, staff wellbeing, procedures and decision making.

The monitors are scheduled to be in place from 11 May 2026 until 31 January 2027.

The intervention has been a long time coming. The Allan Labor Government has faced years of pressure to appoint a monitor at Wyndham, with public calls for oversight dating back to at least 2021. Renewed pressure built through governance flashpoints in late 2025 and early 2026, including the IT budget fiasco and the private security saga.

A monitor was first promised by then Local Government Minister Nick Staikos on 1 April 2026, but did not materialise before he was replaced by Mr Hamer in a cabinet reshuffle.

The crisis at Wyndham was triggered when it was revealed Mayor Preet Singh had provided a character reference in April 2024 for Kashyap Patel, who was later jailed for child sex offences. Cr Singh has refused to resign despite all ten of his fellow councillors calling for him to step down and three resident-led protests across Wyndham.