Anthony Marsh has taken aim at the municipal monitors he once welcomed as “well regarded”, using Parliament to question their impartiality while revealing he remains informed about events inside Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
The Nepean MP and former mayor delivered a sweeping attack on Prue Digby and Rebecca McKenzie during debate on the Local Government Legislation Amendment (Stronger Communities) Bill on Tuesday, 25 August.
Marsh questioned the monitors’ independence, accused them of selective inaction and suggested they may be constructing a narrative to justify their appointment.
However, his Hansard speech did not identify evidence of wrongdoing by either monitor. It also did not name the councillors and council officers he said had been briefing him.
From ‘Well Regarded’ To Parliamentary Attack
The speech marked a sharp change from Marsh’s public position when the monitors were appointed.
On 23 December 2025, Marsh said he had previously sought advice about appointing a monitor. He described Digby and McKenzie as “well regarded in the local government sector” and said he looked forward to working with them.
In an official council statement, Marsh said their appointment provided an opportunity to reinforce strong governance, clarify councillor responsibilities and support expected standards of behaviour.
Eight months later, Marsh told Parliament that serving councillors and council officers had expressed “no confidence in the monitors’ impartiality”.
He also claimed some believed the monitors were there to “manufacture a problem to justify their own appointment”.
These were allegations made by Marsh in Parliament. His speech did not identify the people who allegedly expressed those views or provide evidence that Digby or McKenzie had acted improperly.
Who Is Briefing Anthony Marsh?
Marsh’s speech revealed more than his changed view of the monitors.
It confirmed that the former mayor, who resigned from council in May, continues to receive information from serving councillors or council officers while the municipality remains under formal state oversight.
Marsh also appeared to have detailed knowledge of an unresolved councillor conduct proceeding. He referred to its duration, hearing transcripts, procedural developments and what he believed would be its likely outcome.
He told Parliament that all indications were the proceeding would be “all but dismissed”.
That raises legitimate questions about who has been briefing Marsh, what information was provided and whether any of it came from a confidential process.
Official Local Government Victoria guidance states that information relating to a councillor conduct panel application is confidential.
The guidance says panel hearings are closed to the public and that all information discussed during a hearing is confidential. It also warns that disclosure by a councillor of information they know, or should reasonably know, is confidential can constitute serious misconduct. Intentional or reckless disclosure may also constitute an offence under the Local Government Act 2020.
Nothing in Hansard proves that confidential information was given to Marsh or that a councillor or council officer breached any obligation.
His statements nevertheless leave unanswered questions about the continuing flow of information from inside the council to a former councillor.
The Timing Of Marsh’s Nepean Reversal
The timeline adds another layer to the story.
The Victorian Government announced the monitors on 23 December. Their 12-month appointment began on 19 January 2026.
On 8 January, shortly before their work began, Marsh publicly ruled out running for Nepean and said he had no ambition to enter state politics.
He joined the Liberal Party on 10 February, 22 days after the monitors commenced, and soon applied for Nepean preselection.
Marsh was selected as the Liberal candidate on 24 February and took leave from council the following day.
He won the Nepean by-election on 2 May and resigned from council on 14 May.
That sequence does not establish why Marsh changed course. It does show that his political reversal occurred within weeks of the monitors beginning their work, removing him from council well before they deliver their final report.
The Monitors’ Work Continues
Digby and McKenzie remain appointed until 18 January 2027. Their work covers council governance, councillor conduct, relationships with staff, meeting procedures and the health and wellbeing of councillors and employees.
STPL News has previously reported that the monitors did not arrive by accident and that their terms of reference reflect serious governance concerns.
Marsh has now sought to turn the scrutiny back on the people appointed to examine the council he led.
His final question to Parliament was: “Who monitors the monitors?”
For Mornington Peninsula residents, another question now demands an answer.
Who is briefing Anthony Marsh?
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