In short:
Wyndham Council has adopted a new International Engagement Policy setting rules for overseas partnerships, delegations and foreign relationships. The move follows increased scrutiny of council’s role in international engagement and recent diplomatic controversy.
International Engagement Policy Explained
Wyndham City Council has adopted a new International Engagement Policy, setting out how the council is allowed to interact with overseas governments, cities and institutions.
The policy was agreed to at the council meeting on 16 December 2025 and is intended to place clearer rules around what councillors and officers can do internationally.
In plain terms, the policy explains when international relationships are appropriate, how they must be approved, and what benefit they are expected to deliver to Wyndham residents.
It applies to councillors, staff, contractors and volunteers, and covers everything from overseas delegations to formal city-to-city agreements.
Wyndham currently has two sister city relationships, with Chiryu in Japan and Costa Mesa in the United States, and one friendship city agreement with Changzhou in China.
The policy draws a clear distinction between the two. A sister city relationship is formal and long term, usually involving deeper cultural, educational and economic cooperation and a higher level of council commitment.
A friendship city arrangement is less formal and typically shorter term, often used as a first step to test whether a deeper partnership makes sense.
Importantly, the policy also outlines what Wyndham should not be doing. It explicitly aligns council activity against foreign interference risks and reinforces that international engagement must comply with Commonwealth laws dealing with foreign influence, sanctions and national security.
Councillors and officers are reminded that unauthorised or informal international dealings can expose both individuals and the council to legal and reputational risk.
Council officers say the policy is designed to introduce transparency, accountability and consistency to an area that has previously relied on informal processes, while ensuring overseas engagement is purposeful rather than symbolic.
Diplomatic Dispute Raises Alarm
The adoption of the policy comes after recent overseas engagement by Wyndham councillors, including a 7–12 September delegation to China involving then Deputy Mayor Josh Gilligan, Preet Singh and Cr Wyndham.
That delegation visited Changzhou, which has a formal friendship city agreement with Wyndham, as well as Shanghai.
The visit included industry tours, government meetings and cultural activities. The trip was funded through a $20,000 grant from Sister Cities Australia, rather than Wyndham ratepayers.
Council sources say the visit reinforced the 2019 friendly city relationship with Changzhou and helped establish pathways for future collaboration in education, sport and technology, particularly with relevance to Melbourne’s west.
However, many residents remain sceptical about whether international engagement sits within a local council’s core responsibilities, especially in a fast-growing municipality dealing with congestion, service gaps and infrastructure pressure.
Critics argue that overseas travel, regardless of who pays for it, risks appearing disconnected from local priorities.
Those concerns have been sharpened by an international controversy involving Wyndham councillor Larry Zhao.
Cr Zhao has become embroiled in a diplomatic issue after a letter bearing his name and Wyndham City Council letterhead invited a delegation of six Chinese officials to Australia “on behalf of Wyndham City Council,” despite no council approval ever being given.
The letter invited the officials to visit between 19–23 October and proposed tours of RMIT University and Wyndham’s SPARK Innovation Centre.
It stated the purpose was to learn about investment and science and technology innovation projects and was signed “Cr Larry Zhao” beneath the Wyndham City logo.
Council sources have confirmed the invitation was not authorised and that an earlier request to invite the same delegation had been formally declined in July.
The issue escalated when the Australian Embassy in Beijing contacted Wyndham City Council to verify the legitimacy of the letter after it was reportedly used to support visa applications.
Council officers are understood to have confirmed that no authorisation had been granted.
Cr Zhao has denied sending the correspondence, telling WyndhamTV he believes the situation is a political hit job aimed at preventing him from running for deputy mayor.
Cr Zhao, elected in 2024, also serves as president of the Asian Business Association of Wyndham.
A Wyndham City spokesperson said the organisation does not comment on any potential investigations involving individual councillors.
A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said the department has policies and procedures for managing and escalating concerns, but would not confirm whether the delegates’ visas were granted.
The newly adopted policy now requires formal approvals, documentation and clearer reporting processes for international arrangements, tightening controls in an area that has recently exposed council to reputational risk.
Nepali Community Links Offer Opportunity
The policy also sets the framework for assessing new international approaches, including an invitation from Godawari Municipality in Nepal for Wyndham councillors to visit in 2026.
Godawari has proposed forming a friendship city relationship with Wyndham, focusing on cultural exchange, education, entrepreneurship, sport and environmental sustainability.
Supporters argue the proposal carries particular relevance for Wyndham, which is home to a strong and growing Nepali diaspora.
Many residents maintain close family, cultural and economic ties to Nepal, and advocates say a structured relationship could help turn those connections into tangible business opportunities and cultural exchanges.
There is also a broader context. Nepal is experiencing a generational shift, with young people playing a growing role in civic life, entrepreneurship and social change.
Proponents say this mirrors the aspirations of many young residents in Wyndham and presents an opportunity to build people-to-people links driven by youth, culture and innovation rather than formal diplomacy alone.
Under the new International Engagement Policy, any future visit or formal relationship with Godawari would need to demonstrate clear community benefit and receive council approval before progressing.
Whether residents see this as smart global engagement or a distraction from local priorities is likely to shape how far Wyndham’s international ambitions are allowed to go.
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