Women achieving great things for their local communities in all corners of NSW have been recognised today at the 2025 Ministers' Awards for Women in Local Government.
The award winners were announced at a ceremony at NSW Parliament House hosted by Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig and Minister for Women Jodie Harrison.
The prestigious awards now in their 18th year, celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of women in councils across NSW.
This year saw an impressive field of winners from over 100 nominations, highlighting the many incredible women serving as councillors and working in diverse careers in local government.
The winners of the 2025 Ministers' Awards for Women in Local Government are:
Alternate Pathways Award - Metro:
- Jessica Speechly - Senior Coordinator Environmental Health (Blacktown City Council)
Alternate Pathways Award - Regional/Rural:
- Kira Mendes - Parks Maintenance Supervisor (Bathurst Regional Council)
Champion of Change Award - Metro:
- Vanessa Parkes - Director City Living (Blacktown City Council)
Champion of Change Award - Regional/Rural:
- Naomi Searle - Director Sustainable Communities and Environment (Tweed Shire Council)
Elected Representative Award - Metro:
- Cr Carolyn Corrigan - Councillor (Mosman Municipal Council)
Elected Representative Award - Regional/Rural:
- Cr Leah Anderson - Mayor (Port Stephens Council)
Woman of Distinction Award - Metro (joint winners):
- Katie Anderson - Director Community & Culture (Randwick City Council)
- Helen Bradley - Manager, Resource Recovery Planning (Inner West Council)
Woman of Distinction Award - Regional/Rural:
- Karen Partington - Manager Assets (Lake Macquarie City Council)
Young Achiever's Award - Metro:
- Ceyda Nalbantoglu - Digital Assistant (Liverpool City Council)
Young Achiever's Award - Regional/Rural
- Rani Diggs - Relieving Grader Operator Team Leader (Gilgandra Shire Council)
Councillor Lilliane Brady OAM Award
- Cr Phyllis Miller OAM - Mayor Forbes Shire Council, President of Local Government NSW
Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:
"It's an honour to present these awards which celebrate the outstanding achievements of women in local government across NSW.
"The winners represent the countless women working for their communities as elected representatives and council staff - from those just starting out, to women with decades of experience in local government.
"While their career journeys are diverse, the common thread among all the winners is the impact they see local government having in their community.
"These awards are a chance to recognise the invaluable contribution women make to councils across NSW every day and I'd like to congratulate not just our winners, but all nominees for their exceptional hard work and dedication."
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:
"These awards shine the light on significant achievements of women working in our councils for their communities. They provide important recognition and celebrate the inspirational women in local government who are leading the way for the next generation of young women.
"We have been making great inroads towards increasing female representation on our councils. The number of women elected at last year's local government elections reached a record 40.5 per cent of all councillors, but we know there is still more work to do.
"These exceptional women are role models for those coming through to follow in their footsteps towards a meaningful career in councils."
For more information about the awards visit: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/our-minister/ministers-awards-for-women-in-local-government /
