WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2026
Court WHITTLESEA CITY Supreme battle looms BOSS RESIGNS
Longy’s Lampoons
● Nick Staikos
● Craig Lloyd, City of Whittlesea CEO, has resigned. He leaves in May.
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■ Craig Lloyd, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Whittlesea, is leaving the $500,000-a-year position in late May ahead of some pre-arranged leave. Mr Lloyd, who has been Whittlesea CEO since October 2020, has accepted the CEO position at Joondalup City in Western Australia. The Joondalup job has an advertised ‘reward package’ ranging from $288,727 to $439,682 per annum, set under Western Australia legislation.
Controversy
Whittlesea Council says it will advise arrangements for an Acting CEO shortly. Mr Lloyd has been at Whittlesea Council during a controversy-filled tenure of 4½years. The departure follows a tumultuous period, including a Commission of Inquiry and the appointment of a municipal monitor in late 2025. Part of Mr Lloyd’s term included a period where there were no elected Councillors, and the Council was headed by a team of three administrators.
Inquiry
The period included: ■ An election voided due to fraud and ballot interference by members of the public ■ A Mayor banned from council offices, hit with a no-confidence vote and suspended by the Minister - now in the Supreme Court. ■ A full State Government Commission
of Inquiry ■ Findings of “serious and systemic governance failures”.
Critical
The Commission was critical of Mr Lloyd as well as others. “It found the CEO was quick to escalate conflicts rather than resolve them, potentially making tensions worse,” said Council Watch Victoria Inc. In addition to Mr Lloyd, the past decade has seen a revolving door of CEOs at Whittlesea including David Turnbull (forced to leave after 21 years), Michael Wootten (briefly, in 2016), Simon Overland (2019) whose contract was terminated, Kevin Spiller (2019-20), and Joe Carbone (Acting CEO in 2020).
Spin
Cr Lareie Cox, Mayor, issued a statement that was full of praise for Mr Lloyd. “Since joining the City of Whittlesea in 2020, Craig has provided strong and considered leadership through many challenges and changes, including a period of Administration, the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of an elected Council. “He has driven important organisational reforms that have strengthened the Council’s delivery of infrastructure, enhanced financial management, elevated customer service standards, deepened community engagement and advanced the use of technology,” Cr Cox said in a written statement.
■ On the same day that Craig Lloyd announced his departure as CEO of Whittlesea Council, Premier Jacinta Allan announced that Nick Staikos would no longer be Local Government Minister. Both announcements were made on Wednesday, April 15. Mr Staikos has been given the job of being the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Both Mr Lloyd and Mr Staikos are central figures in last year’s sacking of Cr Aidan McLindon as Whittlesea Mayor, the details of which will soon be aired in a Supreme Court action.
$15 MILLION SURPRISE ■ Whittlesea Council sources, who insisted on anonymity, say Councillors received little or no prior briefing on a Supreme Court case in which the municipality has been ordered to pay $15.2 million. Jordan Woolnough, a cricketer, became a quadriplegic after falling from a fence at Laurimar Recreation Reserve in Doreen. The ruling found Whittlesea Council negligent for failing to install a gate, despite knowing of high foot traffic. Justice James Gorton found that the Council was negligent in its duty of care, noting that while other locations had gates, this high-traffic area did not. The Council is reportedly currently considering an appeal regarding the $15.2million payout. Reports suggest this ruling highlights a stricter expectation for councils to anticipate and mitigate risks, even when they involve residents using shortcuts or jumping fences. The ABC reports that the case comes following a history of controversy for the council, which was previously sacked by the State Government in 2020 due to serious governance failures.