Pressure is growing on the Victorian government to sack Wyndham Council, following a dramatic afternoon in which monitors were appointed and a former mayor resigned, citing the refusal of beleaguered mayor Preet Singh to step down.
Cr Jennie Barrera announced her decision to quit on social media, shortly after the Allen government said local government experts Jim Gifford and Jo-Anne Mazzeo would oversee the council until January 2027.
“The current situation at Wyndham City makes it untenable for me to continue in my role as Councillor,” Ms Barrera wrote.
“The current environment makes it impossible to effectively represent the community’s interests and therefore prevents me fulfilling my role effectively”.
Wyndham council has been in turmoil since controversial former mayor Josh Gilligan was suspended for misconduct, meaning he could not resume his role as the head of the council.
Cr Singh was elected to replace Cr Gilligan, but just days later faced calls for his resignation after it was revealed he had provided a glowing character reference for a man convicted of child sex charges.
The revelation sparked angry protests at the city’s Princes Highway office and near Cr Singh’s home, that were attended by furious local residents and many of Singh’s fellow councillors.
After rejecting calls to step down, Singh returned to council duties this week after taking a short break, only to be hit with a damaging No Confidence Motion signed by all of his council colleagues.
Cr Barrera made clear her concerns about Cr Singh’s decision to remain in his role.
“The current mayor has refused to step down. I have asked him many times to do so.
“I cannot standby (sic) and support the message that refusing to step down sends to young girls across the community.”
Former Liberal Party candidate Dinesh Gourisetty lost preselection for the party’s upper house ticket for the Western Metropolitan region, after it emerged he had also provided a character reference for the same predator.
Cr Singh was the Liberal candidate in the seat of Tarneit at the 2022 Victorian election, garnering 26% of the vote and running second to Labor’s Dylan White on 46%.
