Council wins IAP2 Australasia New Zealand Core Values Project of the Year Award

The Christchurch City Council has been awarded the prestigious New Zealand Award for Project of the Year by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Australasia for their project “Central City Plan”.

The IAP2 Core Values are one of the foundations of the IAP2 framework for decision-focused, values-based public participation. IAP2 Australasia’s premier Core Values Awards recognise and encourage projects and organisations that are at the forefront of public participation. The awards were created to encourage excellence, quality and innovation in public participation.

A panel of highly experienced international and independent public participation practitioners were appointed to judge the applications. Applications were submitted from New Zealand and all states and territories from Australia.

Christchurch City Council General Manager Strategy and Planning, Mike Theelen, said this award honoured the people of Christchurch as well as the organisation.

"Following the devastating earthquake in February 2011, we were charged with developing a plan for the rebuild of the central city, regarded as a critical step in recovery. Considering the enormity of the event and the redevelopment needs, for such a plan to succeed it was vital to have public input throughout the planning process and beyond.

This was by far the largest and most intense planning project the Council had ever undertaken. It was also our most challenging and extensive engagement and consultation exercise. The overall public participation strategy was to make it an easy, inviting and a rewarding experience for the community to be involved in the development of the Central City Plan.

The major innovation was in developing a continuing conversation with our communities, which put the them at the centre, and motivated them to become involved in a collective action in developing ideas and concepts for the rebuild. The success of the 'Share an Idea' campaign, and the momentum and connections made during the Central City Plan process, can be harnessed and built on in the years ahead."

President of IAP2 Australasia, Carla Leversedge, praised all the entrants and acknowledged the high number and calibre of the submissions for the 2012 awards.

“A substantial number of applications were received for the awards with New Zealand and every State and Territory of Australia being represented. The applications were of a very high standard and exemplified excellence in the way in which organisations are engaging their communities in decision making around key issues “

‘Community engagement brings decision makers and the community together to find practical, reasonable and acceptable solutions to the problems we face in our communities,’ said Ms Leversedge

The Australasian Project of the Year and Organisation of the Year 2012 will be announced at the IAP2 Australasian Core Values Awards Gala dinner on Thursday 11 October in Melbourne which will precede the Australasian Leadership Forum for Public Participation.

Notes:

The Regional winners in the Project of the Year Category of the IAP2 Australasia 2012 Core Values Awards are:

South Australia
Winner:   Campbelltown City Council: “Dog Park: Community Engagement with Research Strategy”
Runner Up:  SA Water: “North South Interconnection System Project”
  
Queensland
Winner:      Tablelands Regional Council: “Tablelands Community Plan 2021”
Runner Up: Qld Department of Transport and Main Roads:  “Construction of the Ipswich Motorway Upgrade: Dinmore to Goodna Project (D2G) by Origin Alliance”

Victoria
Winner:  PPR & Murrindindi Shire Council: “Murrindindi Shire Bushfire Memorials Consultation”
Runner Up: Public Transport Victoria: “South Morang Rail Extension Project”

New South Wales
Winner:  Wollongong City Council: “Wollongong 2022 Community Strategic Plan”.  

Western Australia
Winner: City of Subiaco: “Think2030”

New Zealand    
Winner:  Christchurch City Council: “Central City Plan”

Northern Territory
Winner:  Territory Alliance: “Indigenous Housing Project”

IAP2 Australasia acknowledges the support of our Leadership Forum Sponsors