PERSONAL DETAILS
What is your name?
Vic Pennisi
Age?
65
Suburb of residence?
Eukey Road Stanthorpe
BACKGROUND
How long have you lived in the Southern Downs?
65 years
What was the last time you lived away from the region and why?
Outside of a visit to Italy aged 18 months, the longest I have been away from the region was on an overseas trip in 2018 and up until then the longest stay away was to go overseas on business for three weeks.
CAMPAIGN GENERAL
What has prompted you to run for Mayor?
I firmly hold the belief that the ratepayers who have invested significantly in my role are entitled to influence the decision regarding my future.
What is your assessment of the current council?
This council has tackled all that has been thrown at it and continued to make the hard decisions. It has demonstrated the resilience to face the various challenges that have been identified for the future.
At this stage what is the main thing you offer residents as a whole/ratepayers?
Transparency, accountability and a track record of delivering on behalf of the people I represent.
Are there specific differences in approach for particular suburbs/towns in the region/rural landholders?
One size doesn’t fit all, I believe in promoting each part of our region big or small for its individual strengths.
CIVIC COOPERATION
Are relationships with other levels of government problematic? If so, which ones, and how will you address it?
Because local government is a-political and given the inherent nature of local government, it is imperative to cultivate strong relationships with all levels of government, including those who sit on the opposition bench and it is important to nurture relationships with other competing local governments, in particular our immediate neighbours.
How will you seek to unite the council in the face of growing councillor misconduct complaints?
I believe in open, transparent, and robust debate in the chambers, this is the cornerstone of democracy. The reality is that it is everyone’s human right to lodge a complaint, but I urge those who do to remember that they are committing ratepayer resources every time they do.
INFRASTRUCTURE
There is a long list of outstanding projects, most requiring federal/state assistance. Current priorities lie in ensuring the security of the region’s water supply. How do you propose to solve this issue?
Water is life, and everyone deserves water. I believe in water for the community to live, water for business to prosper and water for crops to grow. I will support any infrastructure that delivers affordable new water, that has been given environmental approval.
What is your assessment of council roads and civic infrastructure?
The biggest issue facing local governments today is how can we continue to deliver over 30 per cent of all government services on just around three per cent of all government take.
GROWTH
How do you plan to foster growth for the region?
The best way to grow a region is to grow what is already in the region. I have sat down with businesses and asked them “what are the inhibitors to growing your business?” We now must now roll out our solutions to those inhibitors. If we are to grow, then we must also expand our infrastructure network and as an example of that, council recently approved the expansion of the sewer network.
COST
What is the cost to ratepayers of your promises?
I adhere to a principle of only making commitments that I can fulfill, and I strictly adhere to the council’s resolution process, ensuring that financial decisions align with established protocols.
