NSW councillor Andrew Thaler faces bullying allegations over abuse of CEO Noreen Vu
Consensus Summary
Andrew Thaler, a councillor for Snowy Monaro Regional Council elected in 2024, is facing a stop bullying order filed by CEO Noreen Vu at the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. The hearing, held on June 2, 2026, centered on Thaler’s repeated use of abusive language—including calling Vu a 'silly bitch,' 'monster,' and 'despicable, disgusting woman'—via social media and emails. Vu alleges Thaler’s behavior has damaged her health, wellbeing, and sleep, while Thaler’s lawyer argues his comments were legitimate criticism and protected free speech. Both sides dispute the legitimacy of Thaler’s concerns about a pool contractor (Dalski) and Vu’s handling of operational matters. Thaler has been suspended twice for code of conduct breaches and is embroiled in multiple legal disputes, including a pending NCAT referral and an appeal regarding a third suspension. The commission will deliver its judgment after June 12, 2026, following additional written submissions.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Andrew Thaler is a councillor for Snowy Monaro Regional Council, elected in 2024
- Noreen Vu is the CEO of Snowy Monaro Regional Council, who has filed a stop bullying order against Thaler
- Thaler has been suspended twice by the Office of Local Government for code of conduct breaches, with the latest suspension ending in May 2026
- The NSW Industrial Relations Commission hearing took place in Parramatta on June 2, 2026, with Thaler giving evidence
- Thaler used terms like 'silly bitch,' 'monster,' 'short little f---ing witch,' and 'despicable, disgusting woman' to describe Vu in social media posts and emails
- The stop bullying order was introduced in NSW in October 2025, allowing public servants and local government employees to seek intervention for bullying
- Thaler has been involved in multiple legal disputes, including a pending NCAT referral and an appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal regarding a third suspension
- The case involves allegations of intimidation, abuse, and threats to Vu’s career and family on Thaler’s social media and emails
- The hearing focused on a confrontation between Thaler and Vu on January 23, 2026, regarding a pool contractor (Dalski) and Vu’s medical certificate
- Thaler’s lawyer argued his comments were legitimate criticism and not bullying, while Vu’s lawyer described them as demeaning and intimidating
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Thaler claimed his comments were protected under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of opinion and expression
- Thaler mocked Vu by calling her a 'little Vietnamese girl with a boy’s name' in Facebook videos
- Thaler attacked the commissioner, Christopher Muir, during the hearing, saying everyone should go home because he believed the commissioner was not impressed with his evidence
- Vu’s barrister, Ian Latham, laughed when Thaler cited Article 19, noting Article 1 of the declaration (encouraging brotherhood) was not mentioned
- Thaler admitted he had mocked many people, including those who attacked him, and compared himself to Monty Python as cultural heroes
- The council’s chief people officer, Angela Sommerville, stated that Thaler had repeatedly breached the code of conduct and refused to apologize
- Vu’s requested remedies include Thaler ceasing to use her name/position on social media, communicating via email only between 9am and 5pm, and avoiding one-on-one contact during meetings
- Thaler’s lawyer, Sharangan Maheswaran, argued that Thaler’s queries about the pool contractor (Dalski) were legitimate and not bullying, despite Vu’s claims of intimidation
- Vu conceded that Thaler’s concerns about the pool contract were 'to an extent' legitimate but argued it was an operational matter not for councillors to address
- DEPA secretary Ian Robertson described Thaler’s behavior as 'horrific and appalling,' prompting urgent action due to slow processes within the Office of Local Government
- Thaler’s lawyer questioned DEPA’s newsletter articles, including a painting of Narcissus, as an observation about Thaler, which Robertson confirmed but said it had no adverse impact on Thaler’s colleagues
- Thaler confirmed he was referred to NCAT later in June under a performance improvement order for SMRC, and a second matter was being brought to the Industrial Relations Commission
- Thaler’s lawyer argued Vu was being unreasonable in perceiving intimidation, stating Thaler was stymied in his role as a councillor seeking information in good faith
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The SMH states Thaler was suspended twice for three months each, with the latest suspension ending in May 2026, while the ABC notes a third suspension was overturned by NCAT but is being appealed, implying a more complex suspension history
- The SMH describes Thaler’s comments as 'selective' and 'not disrespectful or abusive,' while the ABC reports Thaler admitted to using derogatory terms like 'despicable, disgusting woman' and 'short little f---ing witch'
- The SMH claims Thaler attacked the commissioner during the hearing, saying everyone should go home, while the ABC does not mention this specific incident
- The ABC reports Vu felt a safety concern due to Thaler’s aggressive tone and head movement during their January 23 confrontation, while Thaler’s lawyer called her description a 'total exaggeration'
- The SMH states Thaler has been involved in 'various legal scraps' and is 'up to his eyeballs in court cases,' while the ABC specifies pending NCAT and Court of Appeal matters without quantifying the total number of cases
Source Articles
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To most people, a three-hour grilling before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission would be something to fear. Not so for a sweary, problematic councillor.
Councillor called a narcissist, accused of bullying council CEO in court
A Snowy Monaro councillor has accused the industrial relations commission of sanitising his statements in a case over bullying of his council's CEO.
Councillor defends calling CEO 'despicable, disgusting woman'
A regional councillor has justified using offensive language towards the council's CEO in multiple emails and social media videos, claiming that he was attacked first and that "it’s a two-way street".