This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• address inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples through community-based policies and programs developed in consultation with and delivered by local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups.
• have specific First Nations employment goals, strategies and support mechanisms such as cadetship programs and mentoring, and cultural development and awareness initiatives.
• recognise an outstanding employee who is making an impact within their community and workplace by delivering high quality projects and outcomes through the sharing of knowledge, skills, experiences and stories.
• raise awareness and appreciation of the diversity and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, languages and culture.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• address issues of gender inequality and power imbalances to eliminate violence against women and children.
• provide services, support and advocacy for women and children who are at risk of or experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence. 
• prevent violence by driving sustainable change in community awareness, attitudes and behaviours.
• offer programs to address community attitudes, identify sexual violence, sexual harassment and gender-based abuse and facilitate change.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• address housing affordability, accessibility (safe and secure housing), sustainability and homelessness.
• focus on expedited zoning, planning and land release to deliver on social and affordable housing in well located areas.
• deliver on planning and land use reforms that will make housing supply more responsive to demand over time.
• focus on the building of strong and sustainable Community Housing that add to housing targets.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• create stronger and more engaged communities through arts and culture.
• develop and promote local opportunities that embrace community connection, support wellbeing, encourage diversity and promote social inclusion. 
• leverage arts and culture to improve community economic growth and sustainability.
• promote engagement and awareness of the arts and culture.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• drive an inclusive approach to the design of policies, programs and partnerships that value, protect and promote diversity.
• foster a sense of belonging, identity and values and promote civic rights and responsibilities. 
• foster participation in community events and develop innovative approaches to connection and engagement.
• celebrate cultural, linguistic and religious diversity and foster inclusiveness and respectfulness.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• actively reduce risks from disasters and pandemics while delivering benefits and building resilience across communities.
• unlock economic opportunities in relation to disaster planning and preparation.
• focus on protecting the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities and individuals and future-proofs infrastructure and income.
• develop and implement disaster recovery plans to ensure the community is prepared to respond to challenging events.

This award is exclusively for, and recognises the achievements of smaller, more rural and remote councils with a population of 15,000 or less, who have submitted an entry into one or more of the other 12 award categories. For more information on entry eligibility for this award go to Entry Eligibility

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• focus on innovative solutions through renewable energy, conservation, waste management, net zero, and environmental sustainability projects.
• improve information to support innovation, guide investment and enable informed community decisions to enable direct environmental benefits for the local region.
• focus on sustainable management of energy, water, waste, and other resources.
• educate and engage the community about environmental sustainability.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• utilise technological innovations or regulatory changes to improve and develop infrastructure. 
• consider sustainability, liveability and productivity of a region via investment strategies and planning and takes advantage of region-specific opportunities.
• address long-term infrastructure priorities with clear economic productivity and growth benefits.
• strengthen and create investment and development opportunities, share resources, build local capability, and create jobs.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• improve the liveability of a region by taking advantage of region-specific opportunities.
• strengthen investment and development opportunities, share resources, build local capability, and create jobs.
• improve productivity, employment and workforce skills throughout the region.
• foster the development of vibrant, connected, self-reliant communities and regions with strong economic futures.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• improve road or roadside infrastructure with a focus on safety benefits including heavy vehicle transport.
• address the specific safety needs of vulnerable groups or target specific road user risk factors.
• improve emergency medical response services for those involved in road crashes.
• address specific risk factors and create innovative road safety solutions that make communities safer, more liveable and contribute to a reduction in road crash deaths and injuries. 

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• implement initiatives in the workplace that promote greater roles for women and improve the progress and representation of women in leadership positions.
• establish programs to support and recognise women as current and emerging leaders, including mentoring, networking and training opportunities.
• develop gender equality strategies, programs and advocacy to support women of all ages to participate and become leaders in their workplace and community.
• highlight an outstanding woman who is making a positive difference to their local government and community.

This award recognises leaders and projects in local government which:

• support employment opportunities and career changes through apprenticeships, traineeships or cadetships.
• implement initiatives in the workplace to improve career progression.
• increase workforce participation for all ages, support succession planning and knowledge retention in the community.
• attract, retain and strengthen skilled and diverse workforces in the community.