Core Values Awards
The IAP2 Australasia Core Values Awards build awareness, contribute to the practice and recognise excellence in public participation and community engagement.
2024 Core Values Awards
Be recognised with the IAP2 Australasia’s Core Values Awards program. Entries for the 2025 Awards will open in February 2025.
IAP2 Australasia’s premier Core Values Awards recognise and encourage projects and organisations that are at the forefront of community and stakeholder engagement. The awards were created to encourage excellence, quality, and innovation in public participation.
Over the last few years engagement practitioners have faced many new challenges, however, we have still seen some outstanding projects at the forefront of community and stakeholder engagement in Australasia.
Applications for the 2024 Awards have now closed. Find out who the 2024 winners are below.
The Winners for the 2024 Core Values Awards are…
Australasia Organisation of the Year | Winner:
Refining Engagement in Cockburn: Fostering a Culture of Collaboration
Submitted by City of Cockburn (WA)
Project of the Year | Winner:
Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study: Setting a Precedent for Region-wide Engagement
Submitted by Marlborough District Council, Stantec (NZ)
Project of the Year | Honourable Mention:
Central Coast Safer Cities: Her Way Project
Submitted by Central Coast Council and Transport for NSW (NSW)
Community Development | Winner:
Central Coast Safer Cities: Her Way Project
Submitted by Central Coast Council and Transport for NSW (NSW)
Health | Highly Commended:
Submitted by WentWest, Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN) (NSW)
Indigenous | Winner:
Subi East: How a New Approach to Aboriginal Engagement is Empowering Careers
Submitted by DevelopmentWA (WA)
Environment | Winner:
Shaping Unley – Building Greener Neighbourhoods Together
Submitted by City of Unley (SA)
Environment | Highly Commended:
Submitted by Transport for NSW (NSW)
Planning | Winner:
Submitted by Auckland Transport, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, AECOM, Beca, Bell Gully, Buddle Findlay (NZ)
Planning | Highly Commended:
Your Region, Your Vision: The Central Highlands 2043 Community Vision
Submitted by Central Highlands Regional Council, Articulous (QLD)
Infrastructure (Construction) | Winner:
Bridging the Divide – Connecting the Community Over a Rail Trench
Submitted by Level Crossing Removal Project (VIC)
Infrastructure (Construction) | Highly Commended:
The Rookwood Weir Project: Growing Communities with Water
Submitted by Sunwater (QLD)
Infrastructure (Planning and Design) | Winner:
Tweed Valley Hospital Development – Adversity to Advocacy
Submitted by Health Infrastructure, Northern NSW Local Health District (NSW)
Infrastructure (Planning and Design) | Highly Commended:
Public Engagement for Victoria’s Latest Trains and Trams
Submitted by The Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, Alstom, Capire Consulting Group (VIC)
Infrastructure (Planning and Design) | Highly Commended:
Painting the Full Picture: Sunshine Coast’s Future Transport Solution
Submitted by Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (QLD)
Disaster and Emergency Services | Winner:
Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study: Setting a Precedent for Region-wide Engagement
Submitted by Marlborough District Council, Stantec (NZ)
Disaster and Emergency Services | Highly Commended:
Illawarra Shoalhaven Regional Adaptive Planning Pathways Pilot Project
Submitted by Cred Consulting, NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, The Gaimaragal Group (NSW)
2024 Entries have now closed
Applications for the 2024 Core Values Awards have now closed.
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When do entries for the Core Values Awards 2025 open?
Entries open in February 2025, and the Entry Kit will be available via the IAP2A website.
What are the Core Values Awards Categories?
There are three Major Awards: Project of the Year Award, Organisation of the Year Award and the Research Project of the Year Award.
The Project of the Year Award is divided up into the following categories:
- Indigenous
- Planning
- Infrastructure (Planning and Design)
- Infrastructure (Construction)
- Environment
- Health
- Disaster and Emergency Services
- Community Development
How do I submit an entry?
All entries are submitted via the IAP2A Application Portal: https://iap2a.smapply.io/.
The 2025 submission process will not include a case study template, instead applicants will need to complete an online form, only finalists being required to prepare a case study of the project.
Should you be selected as a finalist, we will notify you in August to provide you with approximately four weeks to prepare the case study.
What countries can enter the IAP2 Australasia Awards?
Entries from Australia and New Zealand are most welcome. Entrants from other countries can enter their local IAP2 Affiliate Awards, or if none available, they can enter the IAP2 International Awards. Visit: iap2.org for more information.
How recent must the project to be to enter?
There is no time limit on when your project was started or completed to enter the 2025 Awards.
Is there a fee to enter?
An entry fee applies to each application: $175 plus GST for IAP2 members, $425 plus GST for non-members.
Organisations entering need to be a Corporate or Small Business Member of IAP2 Australasia to access the member rate. If multiple organisations are entering, then at least one organisation must be a Corporate or Small Business Member.
Payment via invoice is no longer an option. Credit card payment is required at the time of submitting and you will be re-directed to a payment portal upon submitting your application.
If your organisation would like to request exemption from the entry fee (such as due to charity status or organisational policies), please feel free to email info@iap2.org.au (attention Membership Manager) to explain your position.
We are not a member of IAP2 Australasia. Can we still enter?
Yes, you may – although note that there is a different entry fee for non-members.
When are the finalists and winners announced?
Finalists will be announced in August 2025. The winners will be announced the IAP2A Conference, to be held in Melbourne, October 2025.
I am not sure which Category to enter.
We recommend you enter the Category that best fits your project or organisation. The judges may move you to a different category if they feel there is a better fit for your entry.
I’m having problems accessing the IAP2 Application Portal, or receiving my verification email.
We recommend you create your account in the IAP2 application submission system (powered by application software SM Apply) at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline to ensure you are familiar with what is required and comfortable with the online submission system. This also gives you the opportunity to seek help if you are having any technical issues. You can save, edit and even re-submit your entry as required up until the deadline.
All entrants need to create an account in the Application Portal and will receive a system generated email verification request before they can proceed. If you do not receive this email, please check your spam or junk folder, and check with your organisation’s IT if your firewall allow emails from SM Apply. For additional assistance, contact the Marketing Manager via email info@iap2.org.au.
Some organisations may have difficulty accessing SM Apply submission system, or receiving emails from SM Apply due to IT firewalls, policies or configuration. We suggest you speak to your IT department about granting access; or use an alternative email address (such as a Gmail or personal address) to receive validation emails.
For further information on how to use the SM Apply submission system, visit their FAQ page at: smapply.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001445354-Applicant-FAQ
Do you have any tips or tricks?
Ensure that your entry addresses all of the IAP2 Core Values. And definitely proofread it well.
How many entries do you typically receive per category?
Entry submissions do vary for each category, the range is typically between five to twenty. The Planning, Community Development and Infrastructure categories generally attract the most entries.
If I enter and win a sub-category, therefore go into the Project of the Year finalists, will I need to complete an entry again?
Your original entry will be used for all stages of the process, including the Australasia Finalists and IAP2 International Awards.
So you only need to submit your entry once.
Are references or referees required or optional?
Referees or references are required. There are three different options to provide referees:
- Request a reference from your referee through the SM Apply Portal; OR
- Upload written references (ensure referee contact details are included), OR
- Provide the contact details of referees (name, how they were involved with the entry, email address and phone number)
Comments and tips from Abbie Jeffs, 2018 and 2019 Core Values Judge, from the IAP2 Australasia Core Values Awards Breakfast, Sydney, 31 October 2019.
- Entries which demonstrate a robust approach to making sense of the data and applying insights to the engagement process attract marks.
- Those entries that pull multiple elements together tend to float to the top.
- Well-constructed and tight submissions which are structured against the criteria score well.
- Proofreading and editing is vital for judges to make sense of your entry, and find the “nuggets of gold” in your entry.
- The benchmark is high, and entries that demonstrate alignment above and beyond the IAP2 Core Values score well.
