Incumbent mayor Vic Pennisi: ‘our council is the most transparent it’s ever been’
The incumbent mayor seeking a second term says if he’s re-elected he’ll be ‘looking through the windscreen and not in the rear view’ as he clamps down on his main issues ahead of the election.
Warwick
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The Southern Downs’ incumbent mayor says it would be humbling if he got a seat at the big table for a second term and said under his leadership the council is transparent.
Lifelong regional resident Vic Pennisi has been mayor since 2020, and served as a councillor for 16 years before that.
Stanthorpe’s very own Vic Pennisi says if he’s elected for a second term, he can bring continuity, consistency, stability and the ability to get the job done.
“You know there’s nothing complex about that, that’s what I offer,” Mr Pennisi said bluntly.
A main issue voters are raising around this year’s election before residents head to the polls on March 16 is transparency within council, something Mr Pennisi claimed he had fixed.
Residents have been critical that SDRC isn’t transparent enough, with Pennisi disagreeing heavily, saying the council is “the most transparent it’s ever been.”
“In the last council in 2019 (before Pennisi’s term), there was no briefing sessions that were open to the public, and over 40 per cent of agenda items were labelled confidential,” the mayor said.
“In 2023, only around four per cent were confidential- now that’s transparency. We livestream all of our statutory meetings and our information sessions are open to the public.
“People have said if this council was any more transparent it would be a window.”
Pennisi swept the polls in 2020 winning 44.28 per cent of the vote, and is running against independent candidate Melissa Hamilton and former 2012 mayoral candidate Lindsay Goodwin.
But Mr Pennisi doesn’t seem focused on it.
“I’m all in, I’m focused on my campaign and they should be focused on theirs. It’s a democracy and they can challenge, I wish them the best of luck.”
The development of the Stanthorpe Art Gallery and Library has been a huge issue with voters, following the construction firm St Heliers, responsible for the project, crumbling into administration in recent weeks.
Mr Pennisi said the project is “back on track” and though delayed for a few weeks the mayor is grateful to the council offices for the great work renegotiating a new contractor to finish the project.
Mr Pennisi’s personality is on full display, whether it’s his placards around the region or his colourful social media videos showing off his love for the region.
Known for dressing up in costumes and getting festive in his Christmas addresses, Mr Pennisi won’t slow them down if re-elected.
“Last night someone messaged me and said; you have my vote if you lift the standard of the Pennisi Christmas song,” he joked.
“At the moment I’m going to just look ahead through the windscreen and not the rearview.”
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