Melton councillor Ashleigh Vandenberg is suspended from her council role for two months after remarks described as a “Big Brother” gibe, according to multiple reports. Vandenberg says she will take her dispute to the Victorian state election in November by running as an independent and positioning herself against Labor.
The reported case also links the councillor’s suspension to a broader public disagreement involving an MP and Vandenberg’s partner. Reports say the MP accused her partner of lying about being Aboriginal, which Vandenberg disputes.
While outlets agree on the suspension duration and Vandenberg’s stated intention to contest the state election as an independent, they describe the incident through the lens of the same series of allegations and counter-allegations. The reports present Vandenberg as vowing to continue her challenge despite the council suspension.
