By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) Mayor Vic Pennisi has defended comments he made in his recent flood recovery message.
In the message, featured in an advertisement for SDRC last edition, Mayor Pennisi stated “while our region has just experienced a major flooding event which has had a devasting impact on our community, we have in some regards dodged a bigger bullet”.
“A situation can always be worse and I am grateful that I am dealing with a flood event as opposed to living in war-torn Ukraine”.
He has further reiterated these sentiments since the publication of that message.
When asked if, given two locals have died in floodwaters this year, he regretted this comparison, he stated that he did not know at the time of writing the message that someone had died.
When reminded that one person died earlier this year in floodwaters, he said at the end of the day we did “dodge a bigger bullet”.
“If the flood was predicted to be at 8.5 (metres) we would have had 300 homes affected.”
Mayor Pennisi stated he knew some people had taken issue with his comments about a bigger bullet, but we had “around about 30 homes and 80 buildings in total” affected when it could have been more.
“My heart goes out to those people that have been impacted by these floods,” he said. “I can’t begin to imagine what they are going through.”
He further stated “there is a lot of negativity out there about this water and these floods. There’s a lot of negativity out there and we’ve got to try and and be able to I guess see a positive future, right.”
He said the context of the comments matter, and while our region is doing it tough, it could be worse, and he did not mean any disrespect.
When asked if in hindsight he could have made a better comparison, he stated that if the circumstances were repeated, he would not change what he said.
SDRC Chief Executive, Dave Burges, stated that it’s important to keep in mind that “as late as Friday in the flood, Friday afternoon, BOM was still predicting the same flood level as 2011 which was a lot worse and far greater impacts”.
“So in that respect, we certainly did dodge a bullet because we were anticipating a lot worse.”
Mayor Pennisi finally stated that “one of the things about floods is we don’t control the tap”.
“We don’t turn it on, we don’t turn it off, right?”
“And these type of situations brings (sic) out the best and the worst in people.
“You know, and it’s about navigating those emotions and trying to keep a level of calm out there.”
Mayor Pennisi later supplied a full written response, which you can read below.
From the Mayor
As I drive past Cottonvale on my way to Warwick, I look at the sign directed at me and I read “please; please no Mafia in our council please”. I could take offence to the message and report it to the anti-discrimination people and give the author of the message something to think about. That would hurt him and some people might like to inflict that pain on others, or I could take offence to it and stress about it and that would inflict pain on me. However, we do aspire to freedom of speech in this country so I simply accept the author’s right to do so and understand that I don’t have the problem – the author of the message does.
Similarly, I have been called out on some of my messaging during the recent rain events. I offered to meet with one of them and the response was “Mayor Vic Pennisi Best offer I’ve had since the Wuhan Flu plagued us”. My messaging has been simple. Firstly my heart goes out to those who have been impacted by these unprecedented rain events, and I urge those who have experienced hardship as a result to please reach out to our officers for assistance and advice. Our officers have been doing an amazing job helping people through this devastating time. The damage to our roads is significant and it will take time to rebuild, in fact it will take years, and that is if we don’t get any more wet weather. I ask people not to risk their lives in swollen waters and consequently risk the lives of our rescuers. I want everyone to go home to their families and stay safe. In others words, “If it’s flooded forget it”. I thank people for their patience and understanding and I ask them to be kind to their neighbours and our officers. Neither control the tap that turns the rain on or off and currently there are flood damaged locations that our machines will just sink in if we attempt any sort of work. We just need sun so that our soggy grounds can dry out.
Despite all this, I also allude that the situation could always be worse, and when asked how I am dealing with this devastating tragedy, I have used the comparison that I would sooner be dealing with this than living in the Ukraine. It is not meant to offend but simply meant to say there is always worse. Similarly, when I talk about “dodging a bigger bullet”, I use it as a figure of speech that suggests if we had a 8.5 meter flood as was the prediction, instead of less than 30 homes impacted, there would have been up to 300 homes inundated and that would have been much worse, and in my words, and figuratively speaking, a much bigger bullet.
Times like these bring out the best in people and sometimes the worst. I am focused and our Council is focused on recovery, and without any further events, we will work through this together. Hopefully the prediction of more rain is incorrect and we can get on with the massive task of recovery, and whilst it is a challenging time, I will always look on the bright side and stay positive through all of this. My comments are not meant to offend, and for those of you who take offence, I apologise and say please don’t take them out of context, they are not meant to offend but rather meant to take a glass half full approach. Thank God it wasn’t worse.
Mayor Vic Pennisi, Southern Downs Regional Council
