April 22, 2026 From Shadow Council
Dear Cr Karen Wheatland
Please make special note, that Shadow Council is at all time willing and prepared to meet with elected members for any matter that will enhance the benefit of the City of Melville democratic local government.
I note your question (below) was seeking to distract attention from addressing the matters raised in the below correspondence. I remind you that the correspondence sought that Council and it’s executive follow the proper and legal purpose and intent for which Councilors were elected and the executive were employed. You should by now be aware that Shadow Council was created in direct and intimate result of the continuing failure of Council and it’s executive to respect without discrimination, the whole of the individuals making up the City of Melville community. You will observe that Shadow Council will increasingly over time, utilise permanent public publication of correspondence, advisories, disputation, non compliances and other discussions with the intent of preventing the City from continuing it’s past practice of ‘covering up’ or otherwise hiding or burying important matters from the community.
Historical records show the City of Melville had used previous identification of community members not being elected members or employees, to bully, harass and otherwise denigrate with impunity, those persons. The City had proven time and again, that it was not prepared to respect the privacy, health, welfare or psychosocial wellbeing of members of the community irrespective of their legislated obligation to do so. Certain Councillors who shall remain unnamed at present, have also publicly spoken arrogantly and disparagingly against honourable members of the community and through that, disrespected the community as a whole, contrary to Council’s legislated role.
For as long as elected members and employees continue to demonstrate that they cannot be trusted to act with integrity and honesty, to the intent of their principal legislated obligations, it is unreasonable for those parties to seek or expect the identity of Shadow Councillors to be revealed.
It is noted that when Council and it’s executive are prepared to show integrity in respecting their community membership without prejudice or discrimination, both council and it’s executive will invite Shadow Council ‘to join the table’.
Regards Gavin Waugh
Lead Advocate, Melville Shadow Council
April 21, 2026 From Cr Karen Wheatland
Dear Gavin,
Can you please advise who all the shadow councillors are please?
Regards
Cr Karen Wheatland
Palmyra Melville Willagee Ward
April 20, 2026
Email to City of Melville Council and copied to the Local Government Inspector
Dear Councillors
As it is understood this communication will be intercepted and may be redirected, it is also published on https://melvilleshadowcouncil.org/
I have read your director legal, governance & risk’s verbose report “Committee Review M26/7,” seeking your endorsement to disband rather than enhance Council advisory committees.
I note that report’s inclusion of duplicity and bias, presumably intended to mislead.
Please refer to the DLGSC pages posting more accurately about their latest reforms. https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/local-government/local-government-reform
The director legal, governance & risk’s report was misleading in that it omitted addressing and had excluded any reference to the reform’s theme to ensure local governments better serve residents and ratepayers with Stronger local democracy and community engagement.
And further, that report also excluded and omitted any reference to Council’s policy CP-021 Advisory and Management Committees – posted on your website as being the current relevant Policy. see attached
That report does not explain how excluding “community engagement” was not dysfunctional when referenced to the State Governments stated reform outcomes or how Council would not be compromising itself by voting against compliance with its own published policy.
If voting as the Council has habitually previously done, simplistically in favour of administrator directives, Council will be seen to be voting against its community’s values and endorsing executive direction disguised as advice and by that contravening your legislated requirement to vote on the informed merits of the subject.
Why has Council continued since 2019 to fail and refuse to comply with its own Policies?
Why has Council continued since 2019 to accept the failure or refusal of your executive managers to comply with properly authorised Policy?
Why does Council accept without question, the denigration of Council arising from the continued usurping without authority, of Council’s role by executive?
Melville Shadow Council 