In short:
Council Watch says the fall of Mayor Josh Gilligan highlights factional instability at Wyndham and may have broader political implications ahead of the November state election.
Council Crisis May Spread
Council Watch has warned the suspension of Josh Gilligan may have consequences that stretch well beyond Wyndham’s council chamber.
The local governance watchdog, headed by Dean Hurlston, says the fall of the mayor is not just about one councillor’s conduct, but about deeper instability inside one of Victoria’s most strategically important growth municipalities — and the political ripple effects that may follow.
It argues the issue is not a one-off controversy, but a symptom of entrenched factionalism, fragile alliances and governance strain in a council overseeing one of the state’s fastest-growing communities.
Gilligan was suspended following an arbitration process initiated by Cr Robert Szatkowski.
The finding related to a Facebook post in which Gilligan labelled former mayor Kim McAliney a “raging lunatic” and accused her of spreading anti-government propaganda aligned with the sovereign citizen movement.
Under the Local Government Act 2020, a suspended councillor cannot serve as mayor.
Preet Singh is acting mayor while councillors have until 25 March to elect a replacement.
Council Watch argues the episode exposes broader cultural and factional fractures.
It previously criticised Gilligan’s approach as “scorched earth politics” and says his removal does not resolve the underlying numbers game that has defined this term of council.
The chamber has long been understood to be split into two blocs. On one side: Barrera, Gilligan, King, McGuire, Shaw and Singh. On the other: Hill, Maynard, McIntyre, Szatkowski and Zhao.
Whether those alliances remain intact as councillors prepare to recast the mayoralty remains unclear.
Those who brokered the deal that elevated Gilligan to the top job are now under scrutiny.
His combative style and history of complaints were no secret. The suspension may have been triggered by a specific breach, but critics argue the instability was foreseeable.
Council Watch has also explicitly criticised Local Government Minister Nick Staikos for failing to appoint a municipal monitor despite what it describes as sustained dysfunction inside the chamber.
It says the absence of state intervention is “conspicuous” given Wyndham’s size, growth pressures and strategic importance.
The implications are not confined to Wyndham’s $787 million operation.
At the 2025 Werribee by-election, Labor retained the seat by just 693 votes after preferences, despite the Liberals winning the higher primary vote.
That razor-thin margin sharpens political focus ahead of the November state election.
Wyndham sits squarely within the seat of Werribee and is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing municipalities.
Any perception of instability in a Labor-held growth corridor carries broader electoral risk.
Council Watch maintains residents deserve stability, transparency and mature leadership, not factional manoeuvring.
It warns that unless deeper cultural and political issues are addressed, the fall of one mayor will not end the turbulence.
With councillors required to elect a new mayor by 25 March and the state election looming in November, Wyndham City Council — and the seat of Werribee — are now firmly on the must-watch list for 2026.
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