WEDNESDAY, 25 MARCH, 2026
Make it a good Friday for the kids The Werribee Fire Brigade is calling on the Wyndham community to help raise vital funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital in this year’s Good Friday Appeal. Since first rattling tins for the Good Friday Appeal in 1977, the brigade has raised more than $1.4 million Lieutenant Rohan Rizzoli said Werribee firefighters aren’t shy about their mission in 2026. “Our goal for the day is to knock on every door in Werribee, but we will also have our members at intersections across the area,” he said. “We are always looking for people to assist on the day – so anyone is welcome to come down to the station from 9am on Friday 3 April.” “A lot of members of our brigade have used the services of the Royal Children’s Hospital, so we know the great and important work they do. “Often kids from emergencies we respond spend time at the hospital, so it is a bit of a full circle moment to be able to support them.” Donate: https://fundraise. goodfridayappeal.com.au/fundraisers/ WerribeeCFA Werribee CFA captain Michael Wells (front) and his special crew are inviting you to help raise money this Good Friday. (Damjan Janevski)
Mayor vote switch By Jaidyn Kennedy A Wyndham councillor switched her vote to end the deadlock and elect a new mayor on Monday night. Councillors initially met on Wednesday 18 March to choose a new mayor following the suspension of then-mayor Josh Gilligan from council on 25 February after an independent arbitor ruled that a Facebook post he made in September 2025 had breached the Councillor Code of Conduct. The inital vote between mayoral contenders Peter Maynard and Preet Singh was tied at five votes apiece, with neither candidate securing the six votes needed to
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claim the role. Councillors Robert Szatkowski, Susan McIntyre, Jasmine Hill and Larry Zhao backed Cr Maynard, while Mia Shaw, Shannon McGuire, Jennie Barrera and Maria King supported Cr Singh. A second vote was held on Monday 23 March with Cr McGuire again nominating Cr Singh for mayor and Cr Szatkowski nominating Cr Maynard. During the second vote Cr Hill joined councillors Shaw, McGuire, Barrera and King to back Cr Singh, who had been acting mayor since 25 February, giving him the six votes needed to stay until the current mayoral term ends in November 2026.
While chief executive Stephen Wall was declaring Cr Singh’s victory, applause from the those in the chamber and gallery was momentarily cut short. Cr Szatkowski insisted that under the Local Government Act 2020 he was still obligated to cast his vote. Crs Szatkowski, McIntyre and Zhao raised their hands in support of Cr Maynard, before proceedings returned to normal. Cr Hill was elected deputy mayor. Cr Singh said his priority for the remainder of the current mayoral term was to work “collectively for the good of Wyndham”.
“There’s plenty of projects currently underway and there are plenty in the pipeline, so we are back to business from now on,” he said “So that is my priority: Getting the most from everyone.” Cr Hill said electing a mayor had been difficult following last week’s deadlock and much deliberation had gone into the fi nal outcome. “We were fi nally able to resolve the deadlock and I have full confidence that the new council will be able to work together,” Cr Hill said. “I think it is the best way forward with a unified front.”