Moira Shire Council leaders appointed

By Gabriel Garcia

Jun 14, 2023

New role: Former state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed has been appointed as one of Moira Shire’s permanent administrators. Photo by Murray Silby

Moira Shire Council independent administrator John Tanner will be staying on to lead the newly appointed administrators set to begin running the council later this month.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The three-member panel will also include former state Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed (between 2014 and 2022) and Graeme Emonson.

A commission of inquiry found that council could not effectively carry out its responsibilities in accordance with the Local Government Act 2020 because of significant governance failures.

Mr Tanner will chair the panel until December 8, after which a new chair will be appointed.

In her role as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Shepparton, Ms Sheed served as chair of parliament’s Pandemic Declaration Accountability and Oversight Committee and was a member of the Family and Community Development Committee.

She has also held board positions with the RACV, Goulburn-Murray Water and the Law Institute of Victoria.

Dr Emonson is currently a deputy secretary in the Victorian Public Service, with extensive experience in state and local government, including in rural and metropolitan councils.

Victorian Local Government Minister Melissa Horne, who ultimately made the call to dismiss the former Moira Shire Council in March, said the appointments would help ensure trust between council and the Moira Shire population was rebuilt and the shire could move forward.

“Councils must faithfully represent the communities they serve — Moira Shire residents deserve quality services and a council that puts their interests first,” she said.