Women serving across New South Wales councils have been recognised for their achievements and leadership at the 2025 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government, held at NSW Parliament House.
Hosted by Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig and Minister for Women Jodie Harrison, the awards are now in their 18th year and celebrate women who have made an impact in council roles across the state. More than 100 nominations were received this year, reflecting the growing number of women contributing to local government in both metropolitan and regional areas.
The winners range from young digital specialists to seasoned council leaders, representing the breadth of experience among women working to improve their communities.
Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said it was an honour to present the awards and acknowledge women who have dedicated their careers to serving the public.
“It’s an honour to present these awards which celebrate the outstanding achievements of women in local government across NSW,” he said. “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 the awards were a celebration of leadership and progress in gender representation across councils.
“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,” Ms Harrison said.
“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.”
Among this year’s winners were women recognised for breaking new ground in diverse fields such as community engagement, environmental health, asset management, and digital innovation.
Jessica Speechly from Blacktown City Council won the Alternate Pathways Award (Metro) for her leadership in environmental health, while Bathurst Regional Council’s Kira Mendes received the Regional/Rural category award for her work in parks maintenance.
The Champion of Change titles went to Blacktown’s Director of City Living, Vanessa Parkes, and Tweed Shire Council’s Director of Sustainable Communities and Environment, Naomi Searle, for driving change in urban and environmental policy.
Councillors Carolyn Corrigan of Mosman Municipal Council and Leah Anderson, Mayor of Port Stephens, were recognised for their service as elected representatives, highlighting the growing influence of women in leadership roles across NSW councils.
The Woman of Distinction category saw joint metropolitan winners Katie Anderson from Randwick City Council and Helen Bradley from Inner West Council, alongside regional recipient Karen Partington from Lake Macquarie City Council.
Young leaders were also celebrated, including Liverpool City Council’s Ceyda Nalbantoglu and Gilgandra Shire Council’s Rani Diggs, whose achievements reflect a new generation of women entering the public sector.
The Councillor Lilliane Brady OAM Award went to Cr Phyllis Miller OAM, Mayor of Forbes Shire Council and President of Local Government NSW, for her long-standing leadership and advocacy for rural communities.
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