Huon Valley Council was among the Tasmanian Regional Winners recognised in the 2019 Local Government (LG) Professionals National Awards at a special ceremony held in Devonport on the evening of 17 October.

The annual awards program celebrates the achievements of individuals and councils working hard to achieve great things in their communities. It provides an opportunity to showcase the high standards of service and innovation shown by local councils in their efforts to achieve better outcomes for communities, and as a result inspire similar initiatives across the country.

“It’s wonderful to see our staff recognised for their outstanding achievements in what was a very difficult time for our community.”

Huon Valley Council General Manager Emilio Reale travelled to Devonport to represent Council at the awards night, accepting the LG Professionals Tasmanian Partnerships and Collaboration Award in recognition of the Huon Valley Emergency Management Plan which guided the operation of Council’s Emergency Evacuation Centres during the early 2019 bushfires.

“It’s wonderful to see our staff recognised for their outstanding achievements in what was a very difficult time for our community,” said Mr Reale. “The successful operation of our Evacuation Centres was due to the strong planning skills and innovation of staff, and their collaborative efforts with key agencies, community groups, community members, and neighbouring councils.

“Sharing experiences and knowledge is important for local councils to continually improve our services and procedures, and we are pleased to hear that other councils are finding the story of our experience this year useful for their own disaster management planning.”

As the Regional Winner, the Huon Valley Council was also a finalist in the National Federation Awards which were awarded at the LG Professionals National Congress and Business Expo held in Darwin. For the full list of this year’s National Federation Awards winners, visit the LG Professionals website.

Read the full media release here.