Government Communications Australia (GCA) has concluded its annual GCA conference at the Amora Hotel Jamison in Sydney.
The GCA conference brings together communications and marketing professionals working in government and public sector agencies.
This year’s event attracted representatives from every Australian state and territory as well as an official contingent from the United Arab Emirates.
Top honors at this year’s award function went to Mildura Regional Council for their Triple J One Night Stand event.
As host partner of the event, Council and the entire Mildura region was in a prime position to leverage huge economic, social and public relations windfalls.
Mildura Rural City Council established a communications project group and worked with key local industry bodies to streamline messaging, consolidate resources and package communications for a diverse range of audience segments with complex communications needs.
Other local government award winners at the event were Darwin City Council, Isaac Regional Council, Clarence Valley Council, City of Boroondara, Wyndham City Council, City of Canada Bay, Yarra City Council and City of Greater Dandenong.
Deb Ganderton, President of Government Communications Australia, congratulated the winners.
“The GCA Awards are the only awards that exclusively recognise communications in government.
“It was great to see such a high number of entries of an exceptionally high caliber this year from small rural through to large city councils and state government departments.
“More than ever, we are called to account by our stakeholders for better communications and there’s an emphasis on doing the best with what we have, and sometimes what we have is only a few resources that need to be effectively utilised to affect big changes.”
In addition to the awards function the GCA conference attracts thought leaders in communications, engagement, social media, and customer service professionals.
The 2015 speaker line-up included senior government representatives as well as local and international professionals from corporate and non-profit sectors. Highlights of the speaking plenums included Andres Puig, Director at The Civic Group Council, David Pembroke, Founder and CEO of Contentgroup and a panel discussion featuring Deb Ganderton, President of Government Communications Australia, Fiona Hando, Managing Director of There Communications and Jamie Morse, Director of Corporate Services at Horizon Communication Group discussing how major organisational decisions require strategic input from communications professionals to ensure success.
