In short:
A fourth protest calling for Wyndham Mayor Preet Singh to resign drew more than 100 people to the Wyndham City Civic Centre in Werribee on Monday, 18 May 2026. Members of the Sikh community attended the rally and stated that many within the Indian community also want the mayor to stand down.
Wyndham Advertiser
Fourth rally, same demand
More than 100 Wyndham residents gathered at 6pm outside the Wyndham City Civic Centre in Werribee on Monday, 18 May 2026, for a fourth consecutive protest demanding the resignation of embattled Mayor Preet Singh.
The rally, which began at 6pm, was led by Werribee resident and protest organiser John Weiss — a victim-survivor of child sexual assault who has been a central figure in the community campaign against Cr Singh since the first protest on 1 April.
No political agenda
Weiss opened his address by thanking the crowd for their continued attendance and reaffirming that his motivations are personal, not political.
“I wish to preface this by confirming here and now that my choices in this are personal. I have no hidden political agenda. I am not seeking to ever run for political office at any level,” he said. “My motives are simply that we deserve good governance and to inspire pride among our community through representation that has our interests at heart.”
Sikh community speaks out
Notably, several members of the Sikh community attended the rally, making clear that Cr Singh does not hold unanimous support within the Indian community. A number of those present spoke out publicly, stating that many within the community want the mayor to resign and do not endorse his continued conduct or commentary.
Crisis shows no sign of easing
The governance crisis at Wyndham City Council continues to show no sign of resolution. Cr Singh has so far resisted a unanimous no-confidence motion passed by his fellow councillors, repeated calls to resign from state and federal parliamentarians, and three prior protests — each drawing crowds of more than 100 people.
The character reference at the centre of it all
Weiss directed his remarks at Cr Singh’s ongoing defence of his decision to provide a character reference for Kashyap Patel — a man who pleaded guilty to grooming and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. Patel was sentenced in September 2024 to nine months’ jail and a two-year community corrections order.
“Since the community raised their concerns in early April 2026, there has been significant commentary relating to governance and decision making by Preet Singh,” Weiss told the crowd. “This all began with his choice to provide a character reference for a child sex offender, which he signed as a Justice of the Peace.”
Weiss questioned why Cr Singh used his JP title if, as he has repeatedly argued, he was acting as a private citizen at the time.
“If you signed as a private citizen, then why did you use your JP title if not to convince the reader that you were a citizen of status and integrity?” he said.
‘It wasn’t a big issue of rape’
Weiss also cited a translated excerpt from a recent interview Cr Singh conducted in his native language, in which the mayor appeared to minimise the severity of the offending, stating: “It wasn’t a big issue of rape or anything like that.”
“Preet doesn’t see child sex offences as a big issue because it wasn’t a rape,” Weiss told the rally. “The offender groomed a 15-year-old girl and intended to have sex with her. The offender sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl. The offender sent sexually explicit images to a 15-year-old girl and had her do the same in return.”
Court transcript contradicts mayor’s claims
Weiss also pointed to the court transcript from Patel’s sentencing, which he said directly contradicts Cr Singh’s repeated claim that the reference played no part in proceedings. The transcript references “Preet Singh, who has known you for 13 years” as one of three character references the judge stated he had read and considered under personal circumstances and matters in mitigation.
“Preet’s chosen narrative is not one that we expect or respect from a leader of our community,” Weiss said. “It is disingenuous, twists specific facts and totally ignores the actual crimes.”
No room for hate, but no room for Singh either
The protest comes weeks after the Australian Sikh Council and several Sikh organisations publicly demanded Cr Singh’s resignation, stating he was no longer fit for public office. Their statement condemned any racist or religious abuse directed at Cr Singh while making clear that calling for accountability from an elected official is “not racism — it is democracy.”
Weiss addressed allegations that the campaign against Cr Singh constitutes hate speech, stating the rally stands firmly against any such conduct.
“I, and many others, support any such investigations into these allegations. We do not condone such vile behaviour,” he said. “All we want is to create a cohesive and cooperative community that is led by people who care about us and not just themselves.”
‘Singh is not a victim’
Weiss rejected Cr Singh’s positioning of himself as a victim of the controversy.
“Preet Singh is not a victim. He made choices, just like his friend Patel did. Choices that have consequences. Choices we all make based on our values and principles. Choices we don’t agree with as a community,” he said.
Four protests, still no resignation
The fourth protest follows a third rally held at Mainview Park in Truganina on 26 April, the first demonstration staged within Cr Singh’s own Bemin ward. A second protest was held on 6 April outside the Civic Centre, and the original rally on 1 April was the catalyst for Cr Singh stepping aside from his mayoral duties — a position he later reversed.
Municipal monitors Jim Gifford and Jo-Anne Mazzeo, appointed by the Allan Labor Government on 11 May, remain in place at Wyndham City Council at a cost of $1,375 per day — a bill borne by Wyndham ratepayers. Cr Singh has not formally resigned.
