About the Awards

The National Awards for Innovation in Local Government (NAILG) are a Commonwealth Government program established to foster and acknowledge continuous improvement and innovation in the local government sector.

The Awards offer the opportunity to raise awareness and disseminate information about alternative and ‘smarter’ ways of delivering outcomes and services to the community.

This year, the eleventh year of the Awards since 1986, six categories were offered to entrants. Three of these received strong support from sponsors. The 1998 Awards categories are:

  • ‘Bushcare’ Environment
  • ‘AusIndustry’ Information Technology
  • ‘Active Australia’ Leisure and Community Services
  • Engineering, Infrastructure and Urban Design
  • Organisational Practices
  • Regional and Economic Development.

This special issue of National Perspective gives the details of those entries judged by the category judging panels, and the finalists for the two major prizes in 1998: the National Award; and the Rural Award.

The National Award recognises the entry judged as the most innovative overall entry. The Rural Award is an incentive award recognising the special difficulties and challenges facing rural councils and is awarded to the entry judged the most innovative of the rural entries received.

The recognition and publicity offered through the Awards program highlights and showcases the resourcefulness of local government in meeting an increasingly challenging working environment and assists local government in meeting the future needs of the community.

For further information about the Awards write to: National Office of Local Government, Department of Transport and Regional Services, GPO Box 594, CANBERRA ACT 2601. Or call us freecall 1800 065 133.