Published on 07 August 2026
I am pleased to confirm that the Councillors who were previously stood down have now been reinstated. We look forward to resuming Council business and making the decisions needed to keep projects and initiatives moving forward.
Following the Director of Public Prosecutions’ dismissal of the private criminal charges this week, there is no evident need for the Minister for Local Government to appoint an administrator. This normally applies when a Council has fallen foul of its governance responsibilities, but our situation is unprecedented because Council and the administration did nothing wrong.
With Councillors now returned and able to form a quorum at Council meetings, governance is restored in Hepburn Shire under your elected representatives.
I am disappointed that the Local Government Act 2020 did not afford Councillors protection from such private prosecutions. The standing down of Councillors in this way was an attack on democracy and governance in the local government sector. We look forward to amendments that protect against this type of action in the future.
Mayor, Cr Tony Clark