Conflicts? Who gives a dam!
Our Mayor is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to good quotes. In Warwick Stanthorpe Today on 13 January 2022 the Mayor referred to Emu Swamp Dam, and said:
“Hopefully the impediments will vaporise somehow and WE can get on with that project.” [emphasis added]
I can assure readers I have no plans to vaporise! But I wasn’t the only person to notice the reference to “we can get on with that project”, with many people commenting to POW! on this point.
It’s a giveaway line that cuts to the heart of the problem: Mayor Pennisi may well still view himself as part of this project. In his own words, he has “been on this journey for about 30 years" (Stanthorpe Border Post, February 2021). But this is not Council’s project so who is the “we” in this story? The Mayor’s involvement in the project even pre-dates his election as a Councillor, which only happened 18 years ago, in 2004.
It’s about time that any Councillor (including the Mayor) that has had a long-running involvement in this project, prior to their role on Council, had a good hard think about the importance of maintaining public confidence in both their personal integrity and that of the Council.
How can our elected representatives maintain our confidence? My tips are:
Fully declare conflicts of interest.
Get out of the room when Emu Swamp Dam is being discussed, just like Councillor Gow does, particularly if your presence is likely to influence other Councillors ...
... and make sure that you do not influence or attempt to influence other Councillors.
If you are heavily invested (personally) in a project, and not able to act impartially, then just leave the matter to the other Councillors.
For those who want to delve a little deeper on this, then grab a coffee and have a look at Conflicted – our analysis of the declared conflicts of interest of Mayor Pennisi and Councillor Tancred.
In the Stanthorpe Record on 11 January 2022, referring to upcoming projects for 2022, the Mayor said:
“... hopefully turning the sod at Emu Swamp will also be realised this year.”
I’d prefer that conflicted Councillors turned over a new leaf this year, but if they prefer sods then good luck to them!