Waikato Regional Council’s Ngā Rerenga ki te Moana Strategy improves safe fish passage through flood infrastructure, especially pump stations that harm native tuna. Based on six years of research with 14 partners, it tested fish-friendly technologies achieving up to 100% safe passage. With strong iwi partnership, the strategy embeds ecological outcomes into planning, is now business-as-usual, and can be applied nationally to support freshwater restoration.
Entry credits:
Waikato District Council
Thankyou to our award sponsor:
GHD
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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
Excellence in Organisation and People Development
Great Workplaces
Far North District Council
This initiative emerged from a staff survey taken during the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown where 83 per cent of staff reported their productivity was the same or better working at
Award Year: 2022
Excellence in Digital Local Government
Christchurch City Information Network (CCIN) – Early Fire Detection Sensor Network
Christchurch City Council
This is a highly successful pilot project of a sensor network as a means for detecting fires in the Waitākiri / Bottle Lake Forest Park. The network sends warnings to
Award Year: 2023
