Taupō District Council partnered with developers and Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust to deliver Oroko Rise, an innovative affordable housing project. Combining private expertise, iwi leadership, and council planning, it increases supply without ratepayer subsidy. Launched in 2025 with strong demand, it provides a scalable model showing how collaboration can deliver sustainable, community-focused housing solutions.
Entry credits:
Taupo District Council
Thankyou to our award sponsor:
Morrison Low Advisory
See more award winning entries
Excellence in Digital Local Government
Members Choice
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence COP Intelligence Dashboard
Following the Tairāwhiti flood event in March 2022, which revealed coordination challenges due to a lack of situational awareness, the Tairawhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) team initiated an innovative
Award Year: 2024
Excellence in Placemaking
Destination Kāwaroa
Destination Kāwaroa, led by Taranaki Foundation with Ngāmotu, Ngāti Te Whiti, NPDC and NP Partners, transformed Kāwaroa Park into an intergenerational play and learning space celebrating the area’s nature, culture
Award Year: 2026
Excellence in Placemaking
A Place for Everyone
A Place for Everyone showcases the newly refurbished, reopened Hastings municipal centre. A stunning building in its own right, the centre forms an integral part of Toitoi, the city’s arts
Award Year: 2023
