Wyndham Mayor Suspended Over Misconduct

Wyndham City Council Mayor Josh Gilligan has been suspended for one month following a misconduct finding by an independent arbiter. The arbiter's report, presented during a council meeting, found that Cr Gilligan failed to comply with the council's code of conduct.

The misconduct relates to a September 2025 Facebook post made by Cr Gilligan about former mayor Kim McAliney. Ms McAliney had criticized the council's decision to allocate $372,000 for a six-month trial of private security patrols.

The Investigation and Controversial Post

Councillor Robert Szatkowski requested the investigation, alleging that Cr Gilligan breached the council's standards of conduct. The focus of the inquiry was a Facebook post in which Cr Gilligan reportedly made several strong remarks.

In the Facebook post, Cr Gilligan reportedly described Ms McAliney as a "raging lunatic" and accused her of "sprouting anti-government propaganda." He also referenced her departure from council, stating, "Ms McAliney, in my opinion, resigned because of the shame she brought upon herself."

Arbiter's Findings and Rejection of Justification

Arbiter Simon Heath concluded that Cr Gilligan had indeed breached the code of conduct. Mr Heath noted that the post remained public for at least three days and caused Ms McAliney distress, particularly due to being linked to the sovereign citizen movement, given her status as the widow of a deceased police officer.

Cr Gilligan contended that his post was justifiable, citing Ms McAliney's political activism and alleged ongoing attacks on his reputation. However, Mr Heath rejected these justifications, stating that the comments were belittling, demeaning, abusive, and insulting. Furthermore, he found that Cr Gilligan's remarks about Ms McAliney's resignation were inaccurate.

Sanctions Imposed

Mr Heath directed Cr Gilligan to issue a written apology to Ms McAliney, acknowledging his failure to treat her with dignity and respect. The apology was to be published on his Facebook page within 72 hours and remain visible for at least 30 days.

Citing Cr Gilligan's history of two previous internal arbitration processes in 2022, Mr Heath imposed the one-month suspension from office, effective Wednesday. Cr Gilligan posted an apology on Facebook on Tuesday night.