Minister’s Awards for Women in Local Government – Previous Award Winners
The Minister’s Awards for Women in Local Government celebrate the contribution of women to local government in NSW. In addition to recognising the significant contribution of Award winners, the Awards aim to encourage more women to take on leadership roles in local government in NSW.
Please see below award winners from 2008 to 2019.
List of Award Winners by Year
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2019 Award Winners
The winners of the 2019 Awards were presented by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Shelley Hancock MP, at a function held at Parliament House on 6 June 2019. The awards were delivered in partnership with the Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women, the Hon Bronnie Taylor MP.
The winners are:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Cr Wendy Waller (Liverpool City Council)
- Winner: Cr Roslyn Harrison (Northern Beaches Council)
- Highly commended: Cr Reena Jethi (The Hills Shire Council)
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Cr Susan Price OAM (Moree Plains Shire Council)
- Highly commended: Cr Phyllis Miller OAM (Forbes Shire Council)
General Manager/Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Simone Plummer (Sutherland Shire Council)
- Highly commended: Therese Manns (Randwick City Council)
General Manager/Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Morven Cameron (Lake Macquarie City Council)
- Highly commended: Melissa Boxall (Shellharbour City Council)
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Belinda Koytz (City of Canada Bay Council)
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Stephanie Mowle (Goulburn Mulwaree Council)
- Highly commended: Deborah McDonald (Singleton Council)
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Olivia Simons (City of Sydney Council)
- Highly commended: Alissa Jones (City of Newcastle Council)
- Highly commended: Margaret Diebert (Liverpool City Council)
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Adrienne Pierini (Cobar Shire Council)
- Highly commended: Tegan Muirhead (Wagga Wagga City Council)
Women in Traineeships or Apprenticeships – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Sarah Tracy (Penrith City Council)
Women in Traineeships or Apprenticeships – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Acacia Johnston (Shellharbour City Council)
- Highly commended: Renee Keir (Lake Macquarie City Council)
- Highly commended: Sophie Broadbent (Wingecarribee Shire Council)
Special Achievement Award
- Carmel Krogh (Shoalhaven City Council)
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2018 Award Winners
The winners of the 2018 Awards were presented by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Gabrielle Upton MP, at a function held at Parliament House on 7 March 2018. The awards were delivered in partnership with the Minister for Women, the Hon. Tanya Davies MP.
The winners were:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Clr Lucille McKenna OAM (Inner West Council)
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Clr Tegan Swan (Coffs Harbour City Council)
General Manager/Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Simone Cook (Canterbury Bankstown Council)
- Highly commended: Meredith Wallace (Bayside Council)
General Manager/Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Rebecca Ryan (Blayney Shire Council)
- Highly commended: Fiona Plesman (Muswellbrook Shire Council)
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Turkan Aksoy (Canterbury Bankstown Council)
- Highly commended: Emily Raymond (Newcastle City Council)
- Highly commended: Carol Ashworth (Blacktown City Council)
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Maree Edwards (Lake Macquarie City Council)
- Highly commended: Gina Mobayed (Goulburn Mulwaree Council)
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Tracy Moroney (Bayside Council)
- Winner: Mary-Anne Priest (City of Sydney Council)
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Teena Riley (Goulburn Mulwaree Council)
- Highly commended: Cate Fennell (Parkes Shire Council)
Women in traineeships or apprenticeships – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Rae-Anne Young (Blacktown City Council)
Women in traineeships or apprenticeships – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Breanna Green (Gunnedah Shire Council)
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2017 Award Winners
The winners of the 2017 Awards were presented by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Gabrielle Upton MP, at a function held at Parliament House on 7 March 2017. The awards were delivered in partnership with the Minister for Women, the Hon. Tanya Davies MP.
The winners of the 2017 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government were:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Councillor Jennifer Anderson, Ku-ring-gai Council
Special Achievement Award
- Councillor Judith Rutherford AM, Willoughby City Council
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Councillor Kristy McBain, Bega Valley Shire Council
- Highly Commended: Councillor Jenny Clarke, Narrandera Shire Council
Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Julie Vaughan, Central Coast Council
- Highly Commended: Marissa Racomelara, Georges River Council
- Highly Commended: Gail Connolly, Georges River Council
Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Margot Stork, Murray River Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Petrina Nelson, City of Canada Bay Council
- Highly Commended: Adama Kamara, Cumberland Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Debra Hilton, Gunnedah Shire Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Winner: Martina Fletcher, Blacktown City Council
- Highly Commended: Kelly Loveridge, Inner West Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner: Megan Cone, Armidale Regional Council
- Highly Commended: Maree Brennan, Kyogle Council
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2016 Award Winners
The winners of the 2016 Awards were presented by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Paul Toole MP, at a function held at Parliament House on 2 March 2016, in the lead up to International Women’s Day celebrations. The awards were delivered in partnership with the Minister for Women, the Hon Pru Goward MP.
The winners of the 2016 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government were:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Winner of the Award – Councillor Yvonne Keane, The Hills Shire Council
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Winner of the Award – Wendy Tuckerman, Boorowa Shire Council
- Highly Commended – Danielle Mulholland, Kyogle Council
Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner of the Award – Sue Weatherley, Parramatta City Council
Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner of the Award – Judy Charlton, Narrandera Shire Council
- Highly Commended – Lee Furness, Shellharbour City Council
- Highly Commended – Rebecca Ryan, Blayney Shire Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Joint Winner of the Award – Nicola Daaboul, Bankstown City Council
- Joint Winner of the Award – Tina Sangiuliano, Liverpool City Council
- Highly Commended – Annette Celle, Bankstown City Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner of the Award – Cheryl Hyde, Dungog Shire Council
- Joint Highly Commended – Linda Christof, Dubbo City Council
- Joint Highly Commended – Tracie Mauro, Parkes Shire Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Winner of the Award – Cathy Coutlis, Blacktown City Council
- Highly Commended – Christine Schlesinger, Waverley Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Joint Winner of the Award – Dominique Judd, Tamworth Regional Council
- Joint Winner of the Award – Sally Mullinger, Mid-Western Regional Council
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Miss Norma Male and Ms Patricia Gould were also recognised with Lifetime Achievement Awards.
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2015 Award Winners
The winners of the 2015 Awards were presented by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Paul Toole MP, and the Minister for Women, the Hon Pru Goward MP, at a function held at Parliament House on 3 March 2015, as part of International Women’s Day celebrations.
The winners of the 2015 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government were:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Winner of the Award – Clr Sue Heins, Warringah Council
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Winner of the Award – Clr Gae Swain, Gunnedah Shire Council
Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Winner of the Award – Nicole Magurren, Camden Council
Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Highly Commended – Leeah Daley, Gwydir Shire Council
- Winner of the Award – Therese Manns, Broken Hill City Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Highly Commended – Justine Uluibau, Campbelltown City Council
- Winner of the Award – Sarah Sampson, Penrith City Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Joint Winner of the Award – Shellie Buckle, Parkes Shire Council
- Joint Winner of the Award – Laura Kendall, Lake Macquarie City Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Winner of the Award – Sara Foster, Wyong Shire Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner of the Award – Sharon Ross, Parkes Shire Council
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2014 Award Winners
The winners of the 2014 awards were presented by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Don Page MP, and the Minister for Women, the Hon Pru Goward MP, at a function held at Parliament House on 5 March 2014.
Winners of the 2014 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government were:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Highly Commended – Councillor Elaine Malicki, Ku-ring-gai Council
- Winner of the Award– Councillor Dr Michelle Byrne, The Hills Shire Council
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Highly Commended – Councillor Leigh Vaughan, Great Lakes Council
- Winner of the Award – Councillor Sharon Cadwallader, Ballina Council
Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Highly Commended – Sima Truuvert, Randwick City Council
- Winner of the Award – Janice Bevan, Ku-ring-gai Council
Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Winner of the Award – Kay Whitehead, Tumbarumba Shire Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Highly Commended – Ashlee Hodson, Bankstown City Council
- Highly Commended – Vandana Ram, Bankstown City Council
- Winner of the Award – Suzanne Flynn, Penrith City Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Highly Commended – Margaret Ferguson, Snowy River Shire Council
- Winner of the Award– Robyn Cooper, Wollondilly Shire Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Highly Commended – Margaret Diebert, Waverley Council
- Winner of the Award – Kerry Whitehead, Fairfield City Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Highly Commended – Norma Toweel, Wollondilly Shire Council
- Highly Commended – Amanda Colbey, Lake Macquarie City Council
- Winner of the Award – Kristie McLachlan, Coffs Harbour City Council
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Winner of the Award – Councillor Esme Martens, Mid-Western Regional Council
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2013 Award Winners
Winners of the 2013 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government:
Elected Representative from a Metropolitan Council
- Councillor Jackie Greenow, Penrith City Council
Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council
- Councillor Gwen Griffen, Gunnedah Shire Council
Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Colleen Worthy-Jennings, Gosford City Council
Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Carmel Krogh, Shoalhaven City Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Metropolitan Council
- Daniela Santucci, Bankstown City Council
Non-Senior Staff Member – Rural or Regional Council
- Kelly Brown, Ballina Shire Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Metropolitan Council
- Lisa Scully, Newcastle City Council
Women in a Non-Traditional Role – Rural or Regional Council
- Anne Sander, Cessnock City Council
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2012 Award Winners
Winners of the 2012 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government:
Regional/rural non-senior staff representative
- Ms Veronica Bird, Shellharbour City Council
Metropolitan non-senior staff representative
- Ms Vanessa Creighton, Randwick Council
Regional/rural senior staff representative
- Ms Alison Dench, Wollondilly Shire Council
Metropolitan senior staff representative
- Ms Sue Weatherley, Parramatta City Council
Regional/rural elected representative
- Clr Colleen Fuller, Gunnedah Shire Council AND
- Clr Darriea Turley, Broken Hill City Council
Metropolitan elected representative
- Clr Vicki Scott, Gosford City Council
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2011 Award Winners
Winners of the 2011 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government:
Regional/rural non-senior staff representative
- Ms Simone MacLaughlan, Mid-Western Regional Council
Metropolitan non-senior staff representative
- Ms Helen Connell, Holroyd Council
Metropolitan senior staff representative
- Ms Lisa Miscamble, Council of the City of Canada Bay
Regional/rural elected representative
- Clr Jan McWilliams, Mayor, Great Lakes Council
Metropolitan elected representative
- Clr Karen McKeown, Penrith City Council
Note: Regional/rural senior staff representative – not awarded in 2011
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2010 Award Winners
Winners of the 2010 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government:
Regional/rural non-senior staff representative
- Ms Jenni Eakins, Coffs Harbour City Council
Metropolitan non-senior staff representative
- Ms Alison Hester, Kogarah City Council
Regional/rural senior staff representative
- Ms Janice Summerhayes, Wagga Wagga City Council
Metropolitan senior staff representative
- Ms Lindy Deitz, Campbelltown City Council
Regional/rural elected representative
- Clr Jenny Dowell, Lismore City Council
Metropolitan elected representative
- Clr Jean Hay AM, Manly Council
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2009 Award Winners
Winners of the 2009 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government:
Regional/rural staff representative
- Ms Leanne Barnes
Metropolitan staff representative
- Ms Penny Holloway
Regional/rural elected representative
- Clr Sue Whelan
Metropolitan elected representative
- Clr Tania Mihailuk
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2008 Award Winners
Winners of the 2008 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government:
Urban council elected representative
- Clr Joyce Wheatley
Urban council staff representative
- Ms Candy Nay
Rural council elected representative
- Clr Denise Osborne
Rural council staff representative
- Mrs Vas Roberts