Ngā tohu SuperLocal
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SuperLocal Awards
The SuperLocal Awards recognise and celebrate excellent performance by councils in leading their communities and working together.
Recognising strong local leadership
Local government does essential work every day but most of it happens without recognition. The SuperLocal Awards exist to change that. Presented at the LGNZ annual conference, they recognise councils and elected members who are delivering results, through strong leadership, effective collaboration, smart problem-solving, genuine community engagement and sound environmental practice.
Application process and key dates
Submit an entry that shows what your council has delivered, why it matters and how it’s made a difference in your community.
Applications are submitted online. Key dates are below:
- Entries close on 20 July
- Winners announced at the Fulton Hogan SuperLocal Awards evening on 15 October
Fulton Hogan SuperLocal Awards evening
This year’s awards celebration will differ from previous years. The awards will be held as an evening reception with standing dinner.
SuperIdea Award - Tū Auaha
This award recognises a council initiative that has solved a problem in a new way. The initiative may involve new approaches or ways of working or significant cost savings. Big or small, the idea must show a clear shift from business as usual and deliver better outcomes for the community.
Find out more
SuperHuman Award - Tū Kaha
Mayors and Chairs nominate this award, recognising an elected member who has really delivered for their community. The award is for those who lead by bringing people with them and by building trust with council, community and partners alike. Their impact shows up in the decisions made, the progress delivered and the confidence others place in them.
Find out more
SuperCollab Award - Tū Kotahi sponsored by Fulton Hogan
This award celebrates partnership that has delivered outcomes no council could have achieved alone. It includes collaboration with the public. The work can cross organisational boundaries, councils, iwi, community groups, businesses or other agencies.
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SuperSteward Award - Tū Tiaki
This award recognises work that improves the environment in a measurable way. It could be restoring natural areas, reducing waste, lowering emissions or protecting local ecosystems. The work is planned, delivered and tracked over time with clear evidence of progress.
Find out more
Meet our judges
Bonita Bingham
Bonita Bigham (Ngāruahine, Te Atiawa) is Deputy Chairperson and the Māori Ward councillor at Taranaki Regional Council. In her sixth term as an elected member, Bonita has served as a district councillor, community board member, Te Maruata chairperson, National Council member and sat on numerous internal and external advisory groups and committees. She is also a Local Government Commissioner and was LGNZ’s representative on the NZ Geographic Board.
Penny Hulse
Elected to the Waitākere Community Board in 1992, Penny served 27 years as a councillor and then as Auckland's inaugural Deputy Mayor before retiring in 2019. Then, as a 2020 Review of Local Government panel member, she advocated for strengthening local councils to ensure thriving, resilient communities with respect for community voice, the kaupapa she strongly believes in.
Brad Olsen
Brad Olsen is the Principal Economist at Infometrics, and widely recognised as one of New Zealand’s most respected and engaging economic commentators. He is a regional economic expert, having experience working across local government for over a decade providing expert advice to elected members and council officials to better inform decision-making.
Basil Morrison
Basil built a distinguished career in farming and public service, progressing from dairy farmer to local and international leadership. He served as Hauraki's inaugural mayor, President of Local Government New Zealand, and former Chair of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum Board in London. He also held numerous national governance roles including the Hauraki Rail Trail. Appointed a CNZM and Justice of the Peace, his lifelong commitment to service has strengthened communities across New Zealand. Most recently, Basil was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in recognition of his outstanding commitment to community service.
Andrew Wilson
Andrew is the Chief Executive of RotoruaNZ, the Regional Tourism Organisation and Economic Development Agency for the Rotorua district, and also serves as the Chair of Regional Tourism New Zealand (RTNZ).
Andrew has spent much of his career working across diverse sectors, advising local and central government, and supporting small to large-scale businesses. His role at RotoruaNZ puts him at the forefront of destination management and economic development in Rotorua, focusing on unlocking the city’s potential through partnership and innovative thinking.
Andrew enjoys navigating complex issues in order to create impact and effect positive change. His career has been driven by his enthusiasm to strengthen connection between people and place by forging meaningful partnerships with iwi, government, public and private stakeholders and the wider community.
Ezra Schuster
Ezra Schuster is the Regional Public Service Commissioner for Bay of Plenty and provides national leadership to strengthen the Regional Public Service Commissioner function across New Zealand. He brings together local government leadership, Iwi, Tagata Pasifika, government agencies and communities to align leadership, enable collective action and deliver better outcomes for communities.
Justin Lester
Justin is a former Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Wellington, serving on Wellington City Council for nine years. He is now a Director at Dot Loves Data, one of New Zealand’s leading data analytics consultancies. Justin has served on a range of public and private boards, including Predator Free Wellington, Storbie, Whitireia and WelTec, and Local Government New Zealand. He holds an LL.M. from Heidelberg University and an LLB and BA (German) from University of Otago.
Rupert Hodson
Rupert is Beca’s Local Government Market Lead, aligning expertise with needs to deliver integrated, long-term community outcomes. A qualified planner, he has 25+ years’ experience across New Zealand and the UK in government and consulting, including supporting Auckland Council’s Regional Deal and shaping partnership approaches to regional growth and investment.
Mark Butcher
Mark has been the CEO of the New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency since 2014. Prior to that he was Auckland Council Treasurer and worked in various roles in Debt Capital and Financial markets.
His current governance portfolio includes chair of Waikato-Tainui Group investment Committee, member of the Nominating Committee for New Zealand Superannuation Fund and the New Zealand Financial Markets Association board.
Mark holds a BCom from Auckland University, is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors, a distinguished fellow of INFINZ and a CFA charter holder.
Alistair Mason
Alistair has an extensive background in public service leadership and a drive to improve social sector decision-making and practice. He has worked for the Social Investment Agency since its establishment as the Social Investment Unit in 2015. He served as Acting Chief Executive of SIA from November 2025 until May 2026, and has held numerous leadership roles such as Director, Office of the Secretary, and Deputy Chief Executive, Social Investment & Delivery, leading work on the implementation of social investment.