In short:
Cr Josh Gilligan has returned as Wyndham’s mayor after a tight 6–5 vote, marking his second term in the role. Cr Preet Singh was elected deputy mayor in what is shaping to be an eventful 2026 for Wyndham.
Josh Gilligan Returns as Mayor
Cr Josh Gilligan has been elected mayor of Wyndham City Council for 2025–26, defeating Cr Peter Maynard in a narrow 6–5 vote.
It is Cr Gilligan’s second time in the top job, having first served as Wyndham’s youngest-ever mayor in 2019–20 at just 26 years old, and later as deputy mayor in both 2023–24 and 2024–25.
The long-time Tarneit resident told councillors, “Thank you to my colleagues for placing their faith in me to lead this city once more.
It was six years ago when I was first given the privilege to become our youngest ever mayor in 2020. I return to this role with the same passion and determination that I had when I vacated it.”
Moments after he had put on the mayoral robes, Cr Jasmine Hill—who has previously been accused by Cr Gilligan of bullying staff—called for a division on the vote.
Cr Gilligan said this would be his final time as mayor and pledged to make it count, describing the year ahead as a “consequential” one with “no time to waste.”
He said Wyndham was at risk of becoming “less liveable and crippled by state overreach that undermines local communities,” vowing to take a firm stance against the state government’s plans to turn land promised for schools into housing.
He also criticised VCAT as “fast becoming the playground for developers to ignore councils through a state planning system that fails to capture the voice of our local community.”
With the 2026 state election approaching, Cr Gilligan—known for his often fiery clashes with state representatives—said he would campaign to attract more jobs and private investment rather than more housing.
He also announced plans to run a Wyndham-wide campaign to secure funding for a third aquatic centre, saying a business case is complete and design details could be committed by Christmas.
Preet Singh Wins Deputy Mayor Bid
Cr Preet Singh was deputy mayor following a contest against Cr Larry Zhao, who is currently under investigation for allegedly sending an unauthorised letter to Chinese officials.
In an unexpected turn, Cr Jasmine Hill announced she was not prepared to vote for either candidate but could not abstain, prompting her to walk out of the chamber before the vote was taken.
Cr Singh secured the deputy mayoral position after leading the push for Wyndham’s controversial Truganina private security patrol trial, which sparked significant debate among councillors and residents earlier this year.
