Wyndham City Mayor Preet Singh has tendered his resignation from the top civic post, following months of intense public and political pressure stemming from a character reference he provided for a convicted child sex offender. While stepping down as mayor, Singh has confirmed he will continue to serve as a councillor for the bustling Melbourne south-west municipality.

The controversy ignited earlier this year when it was revealed that Cr Singh had written a character reference for Kashyap Patel, who was convicted in 2024 for grooming and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. In a statement posted to social media announcing his resignation, Cr Singh acknowledged his “poor judgement” in the matter, expressing deep regret.

Acknowledging Misstep and Apology

“None of us gets every decision right. Leadership is also about accepting responsibility when we don't,” Cr Singh stated. “When I provided a character reference that has since become the subject of public scrutiny, I was not aware of the full circumstances of the case and was led to believe the person had not behaved as the charges suggested.”

He added, “It was a decision I got wrong. I deeply regret it and have apologised without reservation.”

Mounting Pressure and Public Outcry

The revelation sparked a significant backlash from the community, with Werribee residents organising several protests demanding his immediate resignation. The pressure escalated to the council chamber, where a vote of no confidence was passed against Cr Singh in April. He initially stepped aside on April 1 when news of the reference broke, returning to duties three weeks later.

The Victorian government intervened, appointing an independent monitor to oversee Wyndham council’s operations, with a mandate to “restore stability in the leadership and ensure good governance.” State and federal parliamentarians also weighed in, with Labor MP Joanne Ryan publicly stating in May that Cr Singh should resign. “His initial grievous lack of judgement is now compounded by his incapacity to understand the message his reference sends to our community about sickening, sustained criminal behaviour being trivialised,” MP Ryan had said.

Allegations of Hypocrisy and Disproportionate Response

In his resignation statement, Cr Singh conceded his poor judgement but accused his critics of a disproportionate response. He described facing “months of relentless abuse, intimidation, threats and harassment directed not only at me, but also at my family.” He challenged the public to reflect on whether his misstep warranted such a sustained campaign.

Cr Singh also fired a parting shot at Victorian Labor government MPs, accusing them of hypocrisy. He drew parallels to the situation of Victorian Labor MP Luba Grigorovitch, who recently apologised for writing numerous controversial character references, including for a taxi driver convicted of assaulting female passengers. “The MPs who were quite vocal about my situation were notably silent regarding their own colleague,” Cr Singh remarked. “No protests were organised. No prolonged campaigns were launched.”

Continuing as Councillor

Despite the end of his mayoral tenure, Cr Singh confirmed his intention to continue serving as a councillor for the City of Wyndham. He had been elected deputy mayor in November 2025 before assuming the mayoral role after incumbent Josh Gilligan stepped down, marking a swift and turbulent rise and fall from the top leadership position.