Thumbs up for being positive … Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale and South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann

August 22, 2015

by Anne Miller

Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale gave councillors, would-be councillors and local businesspeople a huge pep talk at Friday’s Mayor’s Charity Breakfast in Kingaroy.

Introducing the guest speaker, South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann said Cr Pisasale had “vision and drive”.

And by the end of the talk, few in the audience at the Town Common Hall would have been disagreeing.

Mayor Pisasale’s message was “be positive, plan ahead, talk up the region and ignore the whingers”.

And the philosophy appears to be working in Ipswich.

He said 80 per cent of school leavers now stay in Ipswich, new businesses are opening their doors and even more projects to grow the local economy were under development.

When the last coal mine closed in the city, it was barely noticed.

Earlier this year Ipswich was named the smartest city in Australia – and one of the Top 7 smartest in the world – by the Intelligent Community Forum in New York.

The philosophy is also working on a personal level: Mayor Pisasale is “living positively” with MS …

One of the key ingredients in his recipe for success is very simple. He tells 10 per cent of people “to get stuffed”.

“I’ve stopped dealing with all the morons,” Mayor Pisasale said.

“You know the morons … who write letters to the paper … who just want to whinge about everything? And destroy people to get into politics?

“I can tell you, they’re fools.

“The best thing I ever did was (learn) that most politicians spend 100 per cent of their time dealing with 10 per cent of the population to please them, and they’re never pleased.

“Anybody who says things bad about their city and tries to get media attention is hurting their city.

“I’m very strong about that because now with technology it goes all around the world.”

Mayor Pisasale said the job of his Councillors was to be a “Board of Directors” for Ipswich and to work with the community to go forward together.

“Now I spend 100 per cent of my time on 90 per cent of the people,” he said.

He said people who wanted to be elected to Council should get out and explain their policies and how much they love the region.

“Give people the reasons to elect you, not destroy other people,” he said.

“Anybody can say ‘that’s bad, that’s bad, that’s bad’. Well, you tell me, what’s good!”

Mayor Pisasale said he worked with the silent majority, the people who just wanted to get on with the job and create a great area.

He admitted there were always going to be disputes and disagreements in local government.

“Have your fights, but leave them at home … if you tell the world, they won’t come here,” he said.

Jim Young (Stanwell), Cr Damien Tessmann and Rob Woodall (Stanwell)
Jason Ford (TAFE Qld South-West) and Darrin Kefford (Taabinga Rotary)
Jane Hodgkinson (Heritage) and John Carey
(Stanwell)
Majors Allan and Carolyn Kerr and Kylie Birch (Salvation Army, Kingaroy)
South Burnett Regional Council CEO Gary Wall and South Burnett CTC CEO Nina Temperton
Kath Driver was presented with a signed guernsey by Mayor Wayne Kratzmann

 

13 Responses to "‘Be Positive And Ignore The Morons’"

  1. Mayor Pisasale has no place to speak about South Burnett Politics. In fact just because others are standing up for truth, the Mayor of Ipswich labels them as “morons”. Today my respect for the Mayor of Ipswich has gone to zero. His comments paint the picture that the current Mayor of the South Burnett is ignoring people in his area.

    The fact is the South Burnett is hurting. Businesses are closing. Unemployment is high. Property values in the South Burnett have gone down. Shame on both Mayors for using the charity Mayor’s breakfast for the Mayor’s political game. The Mayor’s breakfast is about fund raising for the community, not for politics. I wasn’t at the breakfast and I am only commenting on the article. Enough is enough Mayor Kratzmann and Mayor Pisasale.

  2. The Council need to be more pro-active regarding the state of the dirt roads in our wonderfully dry drought stricken-ed community.
    After complaining (reminding them of the continuous wave of corrugations and pot holes, and enduring the silence of inaction in the Durong area, the left-hand wheel steering ball joint exploded on my Transit Van last week just after I arrived home.
    20 mins earlier I was driving at 100km/h. It could have been a fatality. Now I have no van, no transport and waiting on the mechanic and RACQ to authorise the repair.

  3. Thanks for your reply Murray McGee you are the very explanation in the speech that Mayor Pisasale was speaking about. Mayor Pisasale’s speech was negative. No-one has held the council accountable before and I congratulate some-one for standing there and saying I am going to hold you accountable. Mayor Kratzmann uses the media and used Mayor Pisasale to deliver an attack on his very community and to those who have the courage to speak out and stand up.

    Simon Stretton is a perfect example of the disregard the South Burnett Council has for the average rate payer. I feel for Simon as he said 20mins earlier it could have been a different story. It is all due to the fact that the Council have ignored Simon Stretton as Simon puts it “complaining….. and enduring the silence of inaction” The Mayor’s # should read #savelives fix our roads

    Look at the photos of those in the room at the breakfast. They are all industry and business. I couldn’t recognise an average rate payer.

  4. Well, I am an ordinary ratepayer and was at the breakfast. And what Mayor Pisasale was talking about was progress in his own town. He was a very inspirational person to listen to and I thought he had a lot of worthwhile things to say.

    He argued that whenever anyone in the community tries to create something better in their area, there will always be a small group who oppose it. They don’t oppose it because they have any better ideas, but because they’re afraid of change and want things to stay exactly as they are.

    Mayor Pisasale talked about the growth of Ipswich and how 80 per cent of its children once used to leave the town because there were no jobs there. Now 80 per cent are locally employed.

    This didn’t come about by leaving things as they were. It came about by looking at better ways of doing things, and ignoring the small section of the population opposed to any change who have no alternative ideas. In essence, he was saying that whinging achieves nothing and positive action is what counts. I think that’s a good message that applies everywhere. And no, I didn’t think it was political at all.

  5. I was born in Ipswich, my grandmother still lives there. I’ve also done some work there recently and I’m blown-away at how much the city has grown into an economic powerhouse, it’s phenomenal.

    Mayor Paul Pisasale’s speech at the breakfast was inspirational and entertaining, he demonstrated how much a community can achieve if they work together in a positive way. He presented some great ideas of how the local government, community groups and business can work as a united front to progress their region.

    Though, I still prefer living in the South Burnett, it’s a much more relaxed country lifestyle.

    JC’s Catering did a fantastic job of the breakfast as well, especially the home-made baked beans.

  6. If the thrust of Mayor Pisasale’s comments were aimed at those just opposed to change because it is not ‘their’ way, fair enough. But if his comments also included those that are trying to hold the council accountable, have genuine reasons for being the ‘squeaky wheel’ and those who use the press to highlight the lack of response to those genuine concerns, well that’s a different matter altogether.

    If the councillors of the day label these people ‘morons’ and ignore them, what sort of local government would we end up with? I agree that we should all be talking up the region but that doesn’t mean we ignore the issues that are there – like unemployment, stalling businesses, reduced property values and lack of confidence in the council.

    By ignoring these issues, they are then never brought out into the open so that a solution can be found. It’s all a fine balancing act and certainly can’t just be condensed to just ‘ignore the morons’.

  7. I suggest Warren read the article again. Mayor Pisasale is reported to have said “80% of school leavers now stay in Ipswich”. He did not say how many were employed in a full time job, part time job or how many were on the dole. If Ipswich figures are anything like Kingaroy, then I would guess about 90% of that 80% do not have a full time job.

    • According to the Dept of Employment, Ipswich had 6.3% unemployment in July and its youth unemployment rate was 13.8%. Wide Bay’s figures were 9.2% and 21.8%. I know whose advice I’d rather listen to.

  8. Suffragettes were called Morons! Equal Rights supporters were called Morons! Anti-Discrimination activists were called Morons! Anti-Conscription activists were called Morons! Environmental activists were called Morons! Ignore Morons at your peril!

  9. It seems obvious that there is some widespread disregard to the residents in the South Burnett by the responses to this article.

    The Mayor of Ipswich would have had to have been briefed on what has been published in the media recently for him to make comment on it. Who briefed him?

    Look at the articles on South Burnett Online in regards to the Mayor Candidate Michael Brown. I have no affiliation with Mr Brown or any other residents that have replied to this outrageous “Morons” labelling by Mayor Pisasale. In fact I find it refreshing that the South Burnett has someone fresh who has stood up to take the South Burnett into the future. We should not attack those in our community for having the leadership to approach council with options. It is an astute business person that has multiple options on the table. If this man has been attacked recently and by the response of others to this article then one could suggest that others have been attacked out of the spotlight.

    You don’t have people stand up on a whim. They tend to come to a point to stand up and say enough is enough. I am a ratepayer and concerned at the direction this beautiful South Burnett has taken.

    Mayor Kratzmann has been the one who has been negative with quotes of personal insults at Mr Brown. He insulted many organisations in his emotional employed speech in council chambers. He called people ” vultures”. To me that is bringing the Mayor position into a level where the “morons” language, education level belongs. The position of Mayor is one of leadership and leading by example. To have a position of representation use such language and attack on their own community should by questioned in itself.

  10. An impressive perfunctory speech by Mayor Pisasale. The greatest danger any society can face is perfunctoriness and compliance with out questioning of reason and motive. If that 10% of social antagonist had not spoken out against the prevailing view of their day would women have the vote today and men have walked upon the moon? No. But 90% will pass through life in blissful apathy, silent until they to become that 10%.

  11. Someone please invite Paul McVeigh, Western Downs Regional Council Mayor to Kingaroy. He will provide insight with his professional approach to his Council and its future.

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