By Laura Michell
Whittlesea councillors have called for Aidan McLindon to resign as mayor after passing a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
The vote of no confidence was passed unanimously during Tuesday night’s council meeting by 10 of the city’s councillors – Cr McLindon declared a conflict of interest in the matter – amid mounting public outcry over Cr McLindon’s decision to contest a by-election in the state seat of Werribee just nine weeks after being elected mayor.
The councillors also called on the mayor to resign as they do not have the power to remove him from the role under the Local Government Act.
Two weeks earlier on February 4, the same 10 councillors voted to make an application for Cr McLindon to face internal arbitration over alleged breaches of the Model Councillor Code of Conduct in the media and in social media posts in the lead up to and during his candidacy for the by-election.
A petition calling for the mayor to resign, which was signed by 1153 people, was tabled at Tuesday’s meeting.
It stated that the residents of Whittlesea deserved a mayor who prioritised their interests over his own political career.
The vote of no confidence, which was in response to the petition, was moved by Cr Martin Taylor – the same councillor who nominated Cr McLindon for the role of mayor just 91 days earlier.
In passing the motion, the councillors cited the mayor’s alleged breaches of the Model Code of Conduct and breaches of public confidence in the position of mayor and the wider council.
Cr Taylor said Cr McLindon had to resign as mayor to allow “the integrity of the council to be restored” and for public confidence to be rebuilt.
“In moving this motion, we send a clear message that the people of the City of Whittlesea deserve a mayor that they can trust and has their best interests at heart,” he said.
“The mayor must be a figure of unity, not division; a beacon of trust, not controversy; and be an advocate for all councillors and residents and not a perceived source of disharmony.
“A mayor must demonstrate ethical leadership and not bring disrepute to the council they lead.
“And when the office of mayor is called into question, the very credibility of the council they lead is at stake.”
Cr Blair Colwell expressed a deep sense of frustration that council had found itself in such a position so early in its term.
Cr Lawrie Cox said the community had registered “fairly significant displeasure”, noting that he had never seen so many signatures on a petition to council before.
“Having experienced the previous council and the behaviours that were identified and led to the termination of the council in 2020, I think it is very important that we learn from those mistakes, and I think that we have,” he said.
“This is not a witch hunt, it is not a campaign issue … about the seat of Werribee … this is about the Whittlesea council and it is a reflection upon the Whittlesea council and the Whittlesea community.
“The behaviours have been identified and the allegations will be tested in due course.”
Local Government Minister Nick Staikos will be notified of the council’s decision and provided with a copy of the petition.
Cr McLindon was contacted for comment.
