Greater Shepparton City Council has been awarded equal first place in the Community Voice Award for Inclusive Democratic Engagement category, at the 2026 MAVlab Innovation Awards.
The prestigious award recognises excellence in community engagement and democratic participation across Victoria's local government sector and highlights Council's commitment to ensuring community voices are at the centre of decision-making.
The recognition acknowledges Council's innovative and comprehensive engagement program undertaken as part of the development of the 2025-2029 Council Plan. The category attracted a strong field of high-calibre nominees from across the state, making the achievement particularly significant for Greater Shepparton.
The Community Voice Award celebrates organisations that demonstrate excellence in engaging communities, strengthening democratic outcomes and ensuring diverse voices are heard in shaping decisions that affect their lives.
Greater Shepparton's award-winning engagement process involved an extensive range of opportunities for residents to contribute to the future direction of the municipality, including community consultation, online engagement, community pop-up sessions, a deliberative Community Panel, workshops with Councillors and staff, and public exhibition opportunities.
The initiative represented a truly organisation-wide effort, with staff from across Council working collaboratively to design and deliver an engagement process that placed the community at the heart of developing Council's key strategic document.
Council's Chief Executive Officer Fiona Le Gassick said the recognition reflected the collective efforts of Council staff, Councillors and community members.
"Receiving this award is a proud moment for Greater Shepparton and reflects the collaborative effort behind the development of the 2025-2029 Council Plan. This is a win for our staff, Council and our community," she said.
"I would like to recognise and thank the many staff from across Council who worked together to design and deliver an inclusive and innovative engagement process, creating genuine opportunities for people to share their views, experiences and aspirations for Greater Shepparton."
Importantly, the award also recognises the many community members who dedicated their time to participating in the Council Plan development process. Their contributions helped ensure the 2025-2029 Council Plan genuinely reflects the priorities, aspirations and lived experiences of the Greater Shepparton community.
In particular, Council would like to acknowledge the members of the Community Panel who dedicated significant time and effort to the process, actively participating in deliberations and providing considered advice that helped shape the final 2025-2029 Council Plan.
This achievement reinforces Council's commitment to inclusive engagement and collaborative decision-making, demonstrating the value of partnering with residents to shape the future of the region.
"I also want to acknowledge the many community members who embraced those opportunities and generously contributed their insights and perspectives. Their participation ensured our Council Plan reflects the priorities, aspirations and lived experiences of our community," Ms Le Gassick said.
"This recognition demonstrates what can be achieved when our community is actively and meaningfully engaged, guided by the expertise and dedication of our staff, as we work together to shape the future of Greater Shepparton."
Council was awarded equal first place alongside Kingston City Council at the 2026 MAVlab Innovation Awards held last night, Thursday 17 September 2026, at the Fitzroy Town Hall, Melbourne.
