Melton City Councillor Suspended, Faces Legal Battle Amidst State Election Campaign

Ashleigh Vandenberg suspended for two months after arbiter finds she misled residents and targeted a colleague on social media.

Melton City Councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg has been suspended for two months following an independent arbiter’s report, which found she brought the council into disrepute, disrespected another councillor, and misled residents through Facebook posts.

The Allegations

The arbiter, Diana Price, wrote that Vandenberg made "misleading material relating to the council and issues within the municipality" and "used social media to unfairly target a colleague."

The posts included a claim that the council used AI to monitor residents' social media activity—a claim the arbiter deemed misleading. Vandenberg has since repeated that assertion publicly.

A Melton Council spokesperson stated that a privacy complaint about AI monitoring was deemed "misconceived" by the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner**, and the complainant subsequently referred the matter to VCAT.

Political Fallout and Election Bid

Vandenberg has announced she will run as an independent candidate in the seat of Sydenham at the upcoming state election, urging voters to place Labor last. Sydenham is currently held by retiring Labor MP Natalie Hutchins with a slim 1.8% margin.

Parliamentary Privilege and Personal Attack

On June 2, Hutchins used parliamentary privilege to accuse Vandenberg's partner, Simon Vallone, of falsely claiming Aboriginal identity to obtain paid roles meant for First Nations people.

Vandenberg, a Wiradjuri and Nari-Nari woman, called the statement "nothing more than a baseless attempt to cause my family further harm and not be able to seek employment."

Partner Faces Separate Legal Troubles

Vallone was expelled from the ALP in July 2025 after an internal tribunal found he bullied and harassed Labor-aligned councillor Phillip Zada. He now faces a court date for allegedly breaching a public safety intervention order taken out by Zada.

Legal Challenge Ahead

Vandenberg plans to seek a judicial review of her suspension in the Supreme Court.