The appointment of two municipal monitors to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council comes after a mayoral term marked by sustained controversy, internal division and repeated public denials of governance concerns, despite months of reporting by STPL News and confirmed state intervention.
Mayor Anthony Marsh has welcomed the appointments, stating publicly that he had sought advice about the appointment of a monitor some time ago and portraying the move as a proactive step to restore stability and strengthen governance.
That framing sits uneasily alongside the council’s recent history.
Months of denials followed by state intervention
Throughout 2025, STPL News reported extensively on escalating governance concerns within Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, including internal conflict, allegations of councillor misconduct, procedural disputes and matters escalated beyond the council.
During that period, Cr Marsh and councillors aligned with the dominant voting group known as the bloc of six repeatedly rejected claims the council was under investigation and publicly dismissed suggestions that state intervention was being considered.
The Victorian Government’s confirmed decision to appoint two municipal monitors for a 12-month period represents one of the most serious governance interventions available short of council dismissal and directly contradicts those assurances.
Admissions from within the chamber
The state intervention also follows significant on-record admissions by councillors within the council chamber.
In a previous STPL News interview, Cam Williams acknowledged that governance mechanisms had been used to target fellow councillors, an admission that intensified concerns about the conduct of a dominant bloc and the misuse of internal processes.
STPL News has since reported on the fallout from that interview, including subsequent attempts to walk back comments and the broader impact on trust and functionality within the chamber.
Those admissions, combined with ongoing internal conflict, reinforced concerns that governance issues were systemic rather than isolated.
A shift in narrative
The Victorian Minister for Local Government has confirmed the appointment of two municipal monitors from 19 January 2026 for a 12-month term. The monitors are tasked with observing and supporting governance processes, advising councillors and staff, and reporting back to the Minister, including making recommendations for further action if required.
Such appointments are not made lightly and typically follow prolonged or unresolved governance concerns.
Cr Marsh’s attempt to characterise the intervention as a step he initiated marks a clear shift from earlier public messaging, where governance concerns and the prospect of state oversight were consistently downplayed or denied.
If the Mayor was aware that monitor appointments were being contemplated, it raises questions about why this was not disclosed earlier and why concerns raised by councillors, community members and STPL News were publicly rejected.
If the decision followed independent state assessment, the attempt to retrospectively frame the outcome as mayor-led risks minimising the seriousness of the intervention and the issues that prompted it.
Council under sustained scrutiny
The appointment of monitors places Mornington Peninsula Shire Council under formal state oversight for the next year, with implications for councillor conduct, decision-making and governance culture.
It also places renewed scrutiny on the bloc of councillors who have controlled voting outcomes during a period marked by instability, internal conflict and mounting public concern.
STPL News will continue to report on the monitors’ work, councillor conduct during the monitoring period, and any further action taken by the Victorian Government.
Long Overdue
Anyone who has ever attended a council meeting won’t wonder why.