Whangarei District Council embarked on a radical journey of transformation led from the ground up to build a more inclusive, cohesive and effective organisation. Powered by the collective genius, passion, energy and imagination of their people, they are now in the unique position of working towards a strategy set by their 380-strong team. The unified direction of this strategy and the tikanga that guide them has had a wonderfully positive impact on their performance and the outcomes they are achieving for their community.

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

Joint Land Ownership – the Right Thing to Do

Tauranga City Council

Te Manawataki o Te Papa – the Heartbeat of Te Papa – is a transformative redevelopment of Tauranga’s Civic Precinct, which will reinvigorate its city centre and make it the

Award Year: 2023

Excellence in Placemaking

Destination Kāwaroa

New Plymouth District Council

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 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