Council’s Chief Executive Officer received written notice of the resignation on Wednesday 4 November.

According to ABC News, the comment was a reply to a woman who had alleged a man was violent towards multiple partners. It expressed regret that the man had not assaulted her. The independent investigation found in October that Cr Selby did post the comment, despite his claim that his account had been hacked.

Councillors unanimously called for his resignation at their meeting on 20 October 2026, and referred the matter to the Office of Local Government. Council said the resignation fulfils its request, and that its resolution remains on the public record. Cr Selby gas maintained he did not make the comment, and said he was “against all acts of domestic violence”. He initially resisted calls for his resignation.

The Mid NorthCoaster reported that a community petition calling for Selby’s resignation had attracted 700 signatures.

Mayor Cr Kinne Ring said the resignation allows Council to “close the chapter” on a difficult few months. She said the by-election comes while Council is working to address significant financial challenges, and that public trust, once lost, is much harder to restore. She added that the community deserves representatives who put the standards of public office ahead of personal interests. A council spokesperson said the shire does not condone violence in any form, including domestic and family violence.

Under the NSW Local Government Act 1993, the resignation creates a casual vacancy. The period for filling it by countback election ended in March 2026. The vacancy also falls outside the window in which Council can apply to leave the position unfilled until the next ordinary local government elections in September 2028. A by-election must therefore be held on a Saturday, no later than three months after the vacancy occurred.