In short:
A second protest will be held outside Wyndham Civic Centre on Monday 6 April as pressure mounts on mayor Preet Singh amid a deepening leadership crisis. Councillors have renounced him and the state government is stepping in with a monitor.
Mayor Refusing to Resign as Crisis Continues
A second protest calling on Wyndham mayor Preet Singh to resign will be held on Monday 6 April at 3pm outside the Wyndham Civic Centre, as pressure intensifies over a deepening leadership crisis.
The standoff has now entered its sixth day, with Cr Singh refusing to formally step down despite all ten of his fellow councillors renouncing him and calling for his resignation.
On Wednesday, at least 100 people gathered calling on Cr Singh to quit office.
Councillors have also written to Local Government Minister Nick Staikos seeking intervention, as community anger continues to build.
The State Government has confirmed a municipal monitor will be appointed to Wyndham City Council, with Mr Staikos saying he is “deeply concerned by the ongoing instability in leadership” and that residents deserved a council “entirely focused on them.”
The intervention is aimed at helping “restore stability in the leadership and ensure good governance.”
Cr Singh said on 1 April 2026 he would step aside from mayoral duties, but did not clarify whether he would resign.
Deputy mayor Jasmine Hill is performing mayoral duties from 2 April while he considers his position.
The crisis stems from a character reference Cr Singh provided in April 2024 for a man who was later convicted of child sex offences.
The reference formed part of standard sentencing material before the courts, but has since triggered broader political and community debate about judgement, leadership standards and public confidence.
Reference Reveal Causes Public Outrage
Cr Singh has acknowledged the decision, saying: “I provided the character reference in April 2024, prior to Mr Patel pleading guilty.
“On reflection I accept that this showed very poor judgment. Any offences of this nature are never acceptable and I acknowledge the distress Mr Patel’s actions must have caused for his victims.”
On 31 March, the reference itself went viral, revealing further details of the letter bearing his Justice of the Peace signature.
In the letter, Singh acknowledged Patel’s actions, writing that he was “extremely regretful for what he has done” and describing the offending as a “one-off event.”
It was signed as a Justice of the Peace, and Singh also said Mr Patel pressured him to provide the reference under threat of self-harm.
Cr Singh has claimed the backlash is politically motivated, a position rejected by his fellow councillors and opponents.
There is no suggestion Cr Singh was involved in any offending, and the provision of character references is a routine part of judicial proceedings.
Moira Deeming Can Now Run Unopposed
The controversy erupted amid turmoil within the Liberal Party, following a preselection battle in the Western Metropolitan region.
Dinesh Gourisetty had initially defeated Moira Deeming in a ballot, before being dumped the next morning after it emerged he had also provided a character reference for the same offender.
The fallout triggered a cascade of withdrawals from the ticket, with candidates stepping aside and leaving Ms Deeming, who is backed by opposition leader Jess Wilson, in a position to reclaim preselection for the upper house.
Despite attempts to remove her from the ticket, Ms Deeming has now all but secured preselection.
She has also moved to shut down speculation about her political future, restating her support for the Liberal Party amid rumours One Nation could seek to recruit her following the turmoil.
As the political fallout continues to spread from Spring Street to Wyndham, attention now turns to whether Cr Singh will formally resign or attempt a return, with a second protest set to further intensify scrutiny on the embattled mayor.
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