2023 Award Categories & Judging Criteria

The NGAA Awards celebrate and showcase excellence and best practice from projects and initiatives supporting the development of growth areas across the country.Thank you to the 2023 NGAA Awards judges – Tina Chappell from Astrolabe Group and Rachel Pleasant (formerly NGAA Committee of Management and City of Cockburn).

Photos from 2023 NGAA Awards

2023 Award categories and judging criteria

Category 1: Research and Practice This category will showcase research or innovative practice that has been led by Local Government and which has resulted in improved outcomes for growth areas. Entries may be based on projects undertaken solely by an individual Council, a group of Councils or in collaboration with industry or academia. Entries will be assessed on: • Use of evidence base to identify the need for the project • Innovation in project design and delivery • Evidence of improvements to local government practice including capacity building within Council • Evaluation of the impact of the project in relation to NGAA’s core pillars – liveability, productivity and resilience.
Category 2: Built Environment This category is for completed projects in the built environment that show best practice design, collaboration and impact. Entries will be assessed on: • Methodology and evidence base used to identify the need for the project • Innovation in project design and delivery • Evidence of improvements to local government service provision achieved through the project • Evaluation of the impact of the project in relation to NGAA’s core pillars – liveability, productivity and resilience.
Category 3 - Partnerships - Building Connections This category showcases partnerships and collaboration that have achieved better outcomes for communities. Partnerships need to include local government, and may be in collaboration with Industry, Local, State or Federal Government, Community groups or other Stakeholders. Entries will be assessed on: • Process used to identify partners and outcomes to be achieved through collaboration. • Innovation in collaboration such as new partnerships, new engagement methodologies or new fields of practice. • Evidence of improvements to local government practice arising from the partnership, including capacity building within Council • Evaluation of the impact of the project in relation to NGAA’s core pillars – liveability, productivity and resilience.
Category 4 - Advocacy This category is in support of Councils’ efforts to achieve outcomes in funding or policy that were achieved through dedicated advocacy efforts (to any level of government). Entries will be assessed on: • Innovation in advocacy practice – campaign design and delivery, integration of advocacy into broader Council strategic objectives • Evidence of improvements to local government practice including capacity building within Council • Evaluation of the impact of the project in relation to NGAA’s core pillars – liveability, productivity and resilience.
Category 5 - Leadership in Growth Areas This category is aimed at recognising an individual or team from within a NGAA Member Council who has shown an outstanding commitment and leadership to pursuing better outcomes for growth areas, in any aspect of Council work. This award will be offered as ongoing recognition of the leadership of the founders of NGAA. Entries will be assessed on evaluation of the impact of the individual or team going 'above and beyond' to improve the liveability, productivity and resilience of the nominee's LGA or growth areas more broadly.