Winner of:
Excellence in Digital Local Government Award

Buzzly – Aotearoa’s digital youth engagement and insights platform

Buzzly is Aotearoa’s digital youth engagement and insights platform, specifically designed to bridge the gap between young people and local government. Developed collaboratively by Auckland Council, Datacom, AWS, and Mission Ready HQ, Buzzly transforms traditional youth consultations into interactive, and incentivised digital experiences.

Through creative “Challenges,” Buzzly empowers youth to contribute opinions on issues like climate change, health, elections, transport, and education. Every idea is rewarded, incentivising participation and ensuring diverse voices are heard. The platform leverages AI-driven analytics to analyse submissions and generate insights, enabling local governments to make more informed decisions.

Buzzly is a scalable solution that modernises civic engagement, moving beyond traditional consultation methods. It ensures inclusive participation by providing a safe, accessible, and youth-friendly space for input. Since its launch, Buzzly has demonstrated strong engagement, rewarding over 400 youth contributions and providing valuable insights for council projects.

By integrating technology with social innovation, Buzzly redefines youth engagement and creates a model that can be adopted by other local authorities looking to digitise and enhance their consultation processes.

See more award winning entries

Excellence in Māori-Council Partnerships - Te Tohu Waka Hourua (the Double Canoe)

He Whare Hono ō Tūwharetoa

Taupō District Council
In a historic moment for Aotearoa, Taupō District Council and Ngāti Tūwharetoa have further strengthened their partnership and connection by coming together in one purpose-built whare ‘He Whare Hono ō
Award Year: 2025
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Excellence in Māori-Council Partnerships - Te Tohu Waka Hourua (the Double Canoe)

Mana Whakahono ā Rohe Partnership Agreement

Taupō District Council
A Mana Whakahono ā Rohe is an existing tool provided for under the Resource Management Act (RMA) designed to enable tangata whenua and local authorities to discuss and record how
Award Year: 2022
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Excellence in Cost-Effectiveness

Climate Resilience versus Recovery Costs for Transport Networks

Auckland Transport
Auckland Transport analysed 215 landslides from 2023 storms, showing prevention is far more cost effective than recovery. Preventative works cost as little as 15–30% of recovery, aligning with global findings.
Award Year: 2026
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