Politics · Australia · 1 hr ago
Hunters Hill councillor resigns over claimed hostile council culture
Independent councillor Marc Lane has resigned from Hunters Hill Council in Sydney, two years after being elected.
Lane said years in a hostile and stressful council environment affected his mental health and home life, and his doctor recommended that he quit.
He said councillors he spoke with elsewhere in Sydney also felt unable to bring about change, and argued that poor conduct was a wider local government problem.
A dispute over a proposed Gladesville redevelopment, including towers of up to 19 storeys and 522 homes, highlighted concerns about whether community views were being heard.
Liberal councillor Carla Kassab rejected Lane’s claims of aggression and said the council had consulted the community on the proposal.
Council general manager Nick Tobin said the council was committed to open governance and community engagement.
Lane’s resignation will trigger a byelection in the south ward, which includes Henley, Huntley’s Cove and Woolwich.
Hunters Hill councillor Marc Lane resigned, saying a hostile and toxic council environment had harmed his mental health and home life.
Lane said his experience reflected a wider problem across local government, where councillors can feel powerless and silenced.
Liberal councillor Carla Kassab rejected his characterisation of the council as hostile and said not everyone would agree on every issue.
Hunters Hill general manager Nick Tobin described council meetings as robust and engaged and said the council was committed to open governance.
Lane’s resignation will trigger a byelection in the council’s south ward.
- Who
- Marc Lane, an independent Hunters Hill councillor, resigned.
- What
- He said a hostile and toxic council culture had affected his mental health and home life.
- When
- He handed in his resignation on Wednesday afternoon; the article was published on October 19, 2026.
- Where
- Hunters Hill Council, in Sydney’s lower north shore.
- Why
- Lane said his doctor recommended that he quit after years in a hostile environment.
Marc Lane
Carla Kassab and Hunters Hill Council
Council culture
Marc Lane
Lane said the council environment was toxic and hostile, and that councillors were ridiculed and silenced.
Carla Kassab and Hunters Hill Council
Kassab said she would not describe it as hostile, while general manager Nick Tobin called council meetings robust and engaged.
Community engagement
Marc Lane
Lane said the council was not listening to the community, including on the Gladesville rezoning proposal.
Carla Kassab and Hunters Hill Council
Kassab said the council had undertaken extensive consultation and considered community feedback.
Lane was elected as an independent councillor at the local government poll.
Lane handed in his resignation from Hunters Hill Council.
The vacancy will trigger a byelection in the council’s south ward.
- Councillor
- Marc Lane, independent
- Council
- Hunters Hill Council, Sydney
- Elected
- September 2024
- Resignation
- Wednesday afternoon; article published October 19, 2026
- Byelection ward
- South ward, including Henley, Huntley’s Cove and Woolwich
- Gladesville plan
- Up to 19-storey towers, 522 homes and redevelopment of the shopping centre
What people are saying
It’s a high-stress job. It’s like being asked to stick your hand in an unprotected machine every day, it’s traumatic
It’s a command and control culture
I wouldn’t say it’s a hostile environment.
Council is committed to open governance and have strong community engagement practices in place, over and above what is required of the Local Government Act.