Two former West Australian state MPs and a veteran mayor have been tasked with getting the trouble-plagued Town of Port Hedland back on track.

Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley confirmed the dismissal of the council and the appointment of commissioners on Tuesday, which followed the resignation of mayor Peter Carter and left the council without enough members to function.

Peter Carter resigned on Monday, leaving the council without a quorum. (ABC News: Kelsey Reid)

Former Labor MP Jessica Shaw will be the chair of the commissioners, and will be joined by retired WA Nationals MLC Martin Aldridge and former Kalgoorlie-Boulder mayor Ron Yuryevich.

The commissioners are set to be given an extended term and next month’s local government elections will be bypassed.

Port Hedland is set to go to the polls at a special election on March 28 next year.

Challenging task ahead

Port Hedland is the third local government to have a commissioner appointed this year.

It is the second time in six years that the council has been dismissed.

Once sworn in, the commissioners will have to rebuild community confidence in a council paralysed by infighting and subject to repeated controversies, including accusations of lewd behaviour against Mr Carter.

Last year councillor Adrian McRae made national headlines after appearing on Russian state TV as an election scrutineer and congratulating President Vladimir Putin on his victory.

The council also controversially passed a motion calling for a suspension of mRNA COVID vaccines.

“I have acted as quickly as humanly possible to provide stability and good governance to the people of Port Hedland,” Ms Beazley said.

“My main priority is to see a well-functioning, stable council that puts the interests of Port Hedland at heart.”

Port Hedland is a crucial part of WA’s mining sector. (ABC Pilbara: Charlie Mills)

Ms Shaw said the importance of Port Hedland to WA’s mining industry and broader economy meant its local government played a critical role.

“Port Hedland deserves the best possible public administration and that’s what we hope to achieve,” she said.

“We want to be very open, very transparent and very collaborative.”

Ms Beazley said she gave due consideration to a campaign by the remaining councillors to be able to operate with a reduced quorum, but ultimately it was decided that was not an appropriate course of action.