Wyndham Mayor Suspended After ‘Raging Lunatic’ Remark

Wyndham City Council Mayor Josh Gilligan has been suspended from office for one month after an independent arbiter found he breached the Model Councillor Code of Conduct. The misconduct stemmed from a Facebook post targeting former mayor Kim McAliney.

Details of the Suspension

The suspension, effective February 25, 2026, is a result of an internal arbitration process initiated by Councillor Robert Szatkowski as reported by the ABC. Arbiter Simon Heath determined that Gilligan’s comments were belittling, demeaning, and abusive.

The Facebook Post and its Context

In a Facebook post published on September 18, 2025, Gilligan referred to McAliney as a “raging lunatic” and accused her of promoting “anti-government propaganda” associated with the sovereign citizen movement according to Werribee News. He also criticized her departure from the council in 2020, suggesting it was due to “the shame she brought upon herself.”

The post was made in response to McAliney’s criticism of the council’s decision to spend $372,000 on a six-month trial of private security patrols in Truganina as detailed in the ABC report.

Arbiter’s Findings

Arbiter Simon Heath found the language used by Gilligan to be “belittling, demeaning, abusive and insulting.” He also noted that McAliney is the widow of a deceased police officer, and the post was made shortly after an incident involving alleged members of the sovereign citizen movement and police officers as reported by The Age.

Heath rejected Gilligan’s defense that the post was merely an opinion and not made on behalf of the council, stating that as a councillor, Gilligan was required to adhere to the council’s standards of conduct.

Apology and Further Action

Gilligan has been directed to issue a written apology to McAliney, acknowledging his failure to treat her with dignity, fairness, objectivity, and respect. This apology must be published on his Facebook page and remain visible for at least 30 days according to Wyndham TV.

Heath also noted previous misconduct investigations involving Gilligan in 2022, suggesting a pattern of behavior. Gilligan posted an apology to McAliney on Facebook on Tuesday night, stating he takes responsibility for his words and regrets the offense and hurt they caused as reported by the ABC.