Cairns selected as a role model

Sponsored by the Office for the Arts, Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

  • Winner: Sunshine Coast Regional Council, QLD – Sunshine Coast Council’s Green Art.
  • Small Council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Meander Valley Council, TAS – STUDIO BE
  • Commended: Cairns Regional Council, QLD – Imagine Cairns; King Island Council, TAS – Cape Wickham Lighthouse 150th Anniversary Celebrations.

Asset and Financial Management

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

  • Winner: The Hills Shire Council, NSW – Electronic Work Order System and Portal
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Towong Shire Council, VIC – Insight 360 – Performance through Measurement
  • Commended: Gold Coast City Council, Logan City Council and Redlands City Council, QLD – Long Term Pavement Performance Study for SEQ.

Energy Smart

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

  • Winner: Shire of Peppermint Grove, Town of Cottesloe and Town of Mosman, WA – The Grove
  • Commended: Byron Shire Council, NSW – Sustainability Services Program; City of Melbourne, VIC – 1200 Buildings Program.

Engaging and Strengthening Indigenous Communities

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

  • Winner: Clarence Valley Council, NSW – Fresh Start
  • Commended: Roper Gulf Shire Council, NT – Roper Gulf Shire Youth Services; Victoria Daly Shire Council, NT – RIBs and Recreation Combine.

Excellence in Alcohol Management

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

  • Winner: Stonnington City Council, VIC – Reducing Alcohol Related Harm In Chapel Street
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Kempsey Shire Council, NSW – Integrated Alcohol Management Strategy.

Excellence in Road Safety

Sponsored by the National Road Safety Council.

  • Winner: Lismore City Council, NSW – Drive To Conditions
  • Commended: City of Stirling, WA – City of Stirling Child Car Restraint Program; Port Stephens Council, NSW – Port Stephens En Mass.

Improving Services to Remote Communities

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

  • Winner: Cardinia Shire Council, VIC – Portable Playgroups the PlayStart Way
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Barkly Shire Council, NT – Barkly Shire Council Animal Health Program.

Innovation in Natural Resource Management

Sponsored by the Australian Government Departments of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

  • Winner: Great Lakes Council, NSW – Great Lakes Water Quality Improvement Plan and Implementation
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale, WA – "Healthy Habitats" biodiversity stewardship program helps integrate management of natural areas
  • Commended: Brisbane City Council, QLD – Brisbane City Council’s 2 Million Trees project 2008-2012; Clarence Valley Council, NSW – Building Innovative NRM Partnerships – A Success Story on the Nth Coast of NSW.

Innovative Infrastructure Development

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure and Transport.

  • Winner: Frankston City Council, VIC, – FrankstonTV – Australia’s 1st community driven YouTube network.
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Golden Plains Shire Council, VIC – Visit Golden Plains Tourism Smartphone/Tablet App and Website Digital Infrastructure Project
  • Commended: District Council of Mount Remarkable, SA – Innovation and Simplicity in Water Saving: Modular Covers for Community Wastewater Management Scheme; Wingecarribee Shire Council, NSW – Southern Regional Livestock Exchange Roof Project.

Land-Use Planning – Addressing Disaster Risk & Enhancing Resilience

Sponsored by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department.

  • Winner: Lockyer Valley Regional Council, QLD – Lockyer Valley Regional Council: Strengthening Grantham Project
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Northern Grampians Shire Council, VIC – Landslide planning for Halls Gap township
  • Commended: Brisbane City Council, QLD – Brisbane City Council’s land-use planning response to the January 2011 Brisbane River flood; Wyong Shire Council, NSW – Wyong Shire Coastal Zone Management Plan.

Promoting Reconciliation

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

  • Winner: Wellington Shire Council, VIC – Deadly in Gippsland conference 2011 – Promoting Reconciliation through Deep Listening in Action
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): East Arnhem Shire Council, NT – Many Voices, One Journey
  • Commended: City of Yarra, VIC – Stories Around the Fire.

Regional Collaborations

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

  • Winner: Clarence Valley Council, NSW – Clarence Valley Industry Education Forum
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Indigo Shire Council, VIC – NERDS – North East Regional Development Scheme
  • Commended: Blayney Shire Council, Cabonne Council and Orange City Council, NSW – Sustainable Collections Project; Gold Coast City Council, QLD – Gold Coast City Council Sports Fusion Project.

Rural and Remote Health

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

  • Winner: Gladstone Regional Council, QLD – Gladstone Regional Council Discovery Coast Community Health Service
  • Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Cooma-Monaro Shire Council, NSW – ‘Check it Out’ Program and related initiatives
  • Commended: Gunnedah Shire Council, NSW – Liveable Communities Survey.

Strength in Diversity

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

  • Winner: Moreland City Council, VIC – CALDCOM Storyboards
  • Commended: Cardinia Shire Council, VIC – Building Harmony in the Cardinia Growth Corridor.

Women in Local Government

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

  • Winner: Shire of Denmark, WA – Retention & Attraction of Women in Local Government
  • Commended: Tiwi Islands Shire Council, NT – Tiwi Local Government Women as Leaders.

Youth Engagement and Participation

Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.