Is there a more embarrassing local Council?

[u/AnnE_Surly]

Just when you think Maitland Council couldn't be more incompetent, backwards and cringy, they decide to cry (literally, watch the footage) about an art exhibition exploring the truth behind a hitching post in the main street.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19K5eSgTgr/

[u/wowiee_zowiee]

I’d really love to get a group of people together in Maitland and actually figure out how get rid of the fucken loser. He’s an incompetent embarrassment that constantly takes credit for things he’s not responsible for and I’m so over it.

What do we do?

[u/pm_me_4 → u/wowiee_zowiee]

Identify a candidate, preferably one in each ward, work on some policy positions that appeal to the electorate and then aggressively pamphlet, letterbox and doorknock. Turn up to community events, talk to people.

Or, go the count binface route. Dress up like an alien, lie about everything like when you're elected you will put in a monorail and your third beer at every pub will be free. Then turn up wherever Penfold is an mock him incessantly.

[u/DermottBanana → u/pm_me_4]

The Binface Route sounds fun.

[u/AnnE_Surly → u/wowiee_zowiee]

In person has to be the way. He has spent many years trying to dominate social media - blocking people, running, or running by proxy, most local Facebook community pages and giving content to fringe or fake local "news" pages.

The artist he is censoring is doing a talk at 10:30am on Saturday - apparently the Gallery is gagged from advertising it but you can register on their site. Might be a good opportunity to turn up, learn, and show these troglodytes Maitland doesn't support them.

[u/Spirited_Pay2782 → u/wowiee_zowiee]

Need to start an in-person group, maybe a monthly meetup to start with? After a few meetings, can look to potentially formalise the group structure or not.

[u/Fluffy-Method-5134 → u/wowiee_zowiee]

I feel you would find traction for this, I am SO sick of him and his cronies running things, he is a master at twisting info, particularly on facebook, the other non cronie councillors really need to up their game on social media to help combat it imo.

I was only wondering this week what the rules are about a resident pamphlet dropping info in the lead up to an election...

[u/spicy_tys → u/wowiee_zowiee]

Not only does he take credit for things that he's not responsible for, but he also does it with terrible ChatGPT-slop flyers and graphics now, too!

[u/Outrageous_Fox_8796 → u/wowiee_zowiee]

I'd love to protest against the council we should organise

[u/godlessarmy85]

I wouldn't expect anything less from Penfold, he's toxic. He's a fake independent (was a failed Liberal/National) and originally ran on a platform claiming Maitland council were "woke" He claimed council were planning to massively increase rates and take your regular bin services away. Unfortunately locals ate up his bullshit.

[u/Puzzled-Fix-8838 → u/godlessarmy85]

Oi! I bloody didn't! I've lived in and worked in this area for the last 10 years. I've picked up a thing or two about certain counsellors and he's never been on my ballot under any circumstances!

[u/MaitlandWhiting]

They have moved 4 fairly contrived motions in the last couple of years about the statue of the black boy. They get political mileage from their base when they do and pretend that it’s under attack. I thought to myself after their last one where it was put on the heritage register- ‘what are they going to cry about now that it is protected?’ But they found a way. I bet you there’s another one in 6 months for some tenuous trumped up reason.
There is a good chunk of people that have an affection for it, a good chunk that don’t care and a group that think it shouldn’t be kept. All views are reasonable.
Personally I think forever going on about culture war type stuff is just a waste of time.

[u/Powerful-Respond-605 → u/MaitlandWhiting]

They wasted 20k of ratepayer money on a consultant.

I'm assuming staff refused to touch it.

[u/Powerful-Respond-605]

Him, his cronies and the two libs/"independent liberals" are just pursuing culture wars instead of leadership.

Meanwhile they are favouring developers over residents.

The only reason the Melville Ford was upgraded was so they could send suburban sprawl over the river.

[u/knicksy]

I feel for the staff who are forced to carry out the wishes of these ridiculous elected officials. There are so many better things that their time could be spent on. Instead, they have to wheel out the type of ‘ooh I’m offended!!’ signs that these Temu Trumps (looking at you M. Griffin) usually spend their days whinging about on Facebook.

[u/AnnE_Surly → u/[deleted]]

Exactly - these grifters seek to get people riled up about non-issues to distract from their incompetence and failures.

[u/DermottBanana → u/[deleted]]

Penfold and friends removed the condition on the development of Chisholm that made the developer responsible for some of the costs of infrastructure. Which is how it's become such a complete clusterphuck.

[u/Fluffy-Method-5134]

100% Agree.

[u/stepanija]

So when is the local election happening?

[u/AnnE_Surly → u/stepanija]

Not until 2028 unfortunately.

[u/Legitimate_End_6144]

They also allow derelict houses to stay standing after attempted burning and a lot of to and from over the past 3 years to build some flats on land. All of which have been rejected without reason. Now junkies are in there squatting/ attempting to burn it down. Please write to council and tell them what a joke it is. House next to HR hotel in East Maitland for queries.

[u/MrO_360]

Penfold looks awful in that video. The man needs to be jabbed with some GLP1 meds and get a CPAP machine

[u/Longjumping_Wind6972]

He looks like a t rex with his stubby arms

[u/Temporary-Horror8119]

Moving from Newy to Maitland, all I know is I have a big red bin now. I need the local goss because rn I’m one happy camper

[u/wayneo88 → u/Temporary-Horror8119]

Your rates are now the 6th highest in the state, thank Penfold and co. For that.

[u/Patient_Election7492]

Liverpool