Local government awards

Elected to Kingborough Council in 2011, Paula served as Mayor from 2021 to 2026 – the municipality’s first female Mayor in 114 years. She also served as LGAT Vice President, a board member of the Australian Local Government Association, and as the Secretary of the Australian Local Government Women's Association (Tasmania Branch).

Paula’s leadership of LGAT’s Lift the Tone campaign helped drive a national conversation about respectful conduct in public life and reinforced the importance of constructive engagement in local democracy. Throughout her career, she has championed community wellbeing, inclusion and strong local leadership, leaving a lasting legacy both within her municipality and across the broader local government sector.

Janine has provided more than 40 years of dedicated service to Tasmania's local government sector.

Having joined Brighton Council in 1986, Janine progressed from an entry-level administrative role to become Director of Governance and Regulatory Services, while also serving as Acting CEO on numerous occasions.

Throughout her career, she has been a respected leader and mentor, while helping council stay connected to the community it serves.

Mary was recognised for her exceptional contribution to local government and community service.

Over 17 years as a councillor and mayor, Mary has been a dedicated advocate for rural and regional Tasmania. She has represented local government through roles including LGAT's General Management Committee and the Family and Sexual Violence Consultative Group, while also contributing to a wide range of community, tourism, education and volunteer organisations.

Her commitment to public service has been recognised through her induction onto Tasmania's Honour Roll of Women and the award of an Order of Australia Medal.

Sally has demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening communities and advancing the local government sector.

Her service has extended beyond her municipality through roles with TasWaste South, Destination South and the Huon Valley Community Bank, where she has championed initiatives that deliver lasting benefits for Tasmanian communities.

Wayne has followed in his father’s footsteps by serving in local government. Since being elected as mayor in 2018, he has provided strong leadership while maintaining a focus on collaboration, good governance and positive community outcomes.

Wayne has made a substantial contribution to the broader local government sector, serving on the Board of the Northern Tasmania Development Corporation, the LGAT General Management Committee and as the Chief Owners’ Representative of TasWater.

His service has delivered stability, confidence, and long-term benefit for the Meander Valley and the wider local government sector.

The following mayors were presented with the Mayor Emeritus award for serving two or more terms as mayor:

• Christina Holmdahl (West Tamar)
• Wayne Johnston (Meander Valley)
• Mary Knowles (Northern Midlands)
• Cheryl Arnol (Glamorgan Spring Bay)
• Carmel Torenius (Sorell)

^{(Pictured: Christina Holmdahl accepting for Joy Allen, Mary Duniam accepting for Kevin Hyland and Gary Bramich, Marcus Blackie accepting for David Bowden, Mick Tucker, Vernon Philbey, Anthony Bisdee, Carmel Torenius)}

The following Elected Members were presented with their Recognition of Service Award:

• Anthony Bisbee (Southern Midlands) - 50 Years
• Carmel Torenius (Sorell) - 30 Years
• Gary Bramich (Waratah-Wynyard) - 25 Years
• David Bowden (King Island) - 25 Years
• Joy Allen (West Tamar) - 20 Years
• Kevin Hyland (Waratah-Wynyard) - 20 Years
• Vernon Philbey (King Island) - 20 Years
• Gary Carpenter (Central Coast) - 15 Years
• Philip Viney (Central Coast) - 15 Years
• Rick Shegog (West Tamar) - 15 Years
• Richard Goss (Northern Midlands) - 15 Years
• Matthew Brooks (Northern Midlands) - 15 Years
• Janet Lambert (Northern Midlands) - 15 Years
• Mary Knowles (Northern Midlands) - 15 Years
• Hugh McKenzie (City of Launceston) - 15 Years
• Lynden Ferguson (West Tamar) - 10 Years
• Richard Ireland (West Tamar) - 10 Years
• Amanda Diprose (Central Coast) - 10 Years
• Cheryl Fuller (Central Coast) - 10 Years
• Terry Hughes (Kentish) - 10 Years
• Geoff Lyons (West Tamar) - 10 Years
• Dick Adams (Northern Midlands) - 10 Years

Dr Mary Duniam was elected to Waratah-Wynyard Council in 2005, serving as Deputy Mayor from 2014 before becoming the municipality’s first female Mayor in 2022.

She was inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women in 2023 and currently serves as Tasmanian President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA).

Committed to advancing diversity in leadership, Dr Duniam has undertaken significant research into female civic leadership in Tasmania and its potential to drive change. As a Master Mentor with ALGWA, she actively supports women to stand for election.

In 2023, Dr Duniam was elected to the LGAT General Management Committee and continues to represent local government through various roles, including the Tasmanian Premier’s Local Government Council and the Tasmanian Library Advisory Board. Her leadership and advocacy have made a lasting contribution to local government in Tasmania.

Karen retired in July 2025 after 25 years in local government, holding key roles at Kentish Council, the Cradle Coast Authority, and Devonport City Council, where she served as Community Services Manager.

She was the first female and first non-General Manager to serve as President of Local Government Managers Australia (Tasmania) from 2014 to 2016, and represented the state nationally on the LGMA Board from 2011 to 2015.

Karen’s leadership was instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy, where she coordinated recovery efforts with compassion and care. Her work strengthened community resilience and left a lasting legacy in local government.

^{(Pictured: Loueen Triffitt, Don Thwaites, Garry Sims, Flora Fox and John Oldaker)}

The following Elected Members were presented with their Recognition of Service Award:

• Councillor Flora Fox (Kingborough) – 37 Years
• Councillor Garry Sims (Latrobe) – 30 Years
• Councillor John Oldaker (Circular Head) – 26 Years
• Mayor Loueen Triffitt (Central Highlands) – 20 Years
• Councillor Don Thwaites (Kentish) – 20 Years
• Deputy Mayor Penny Lane (Kentish) – 15 Years
• Mayor Peter Freshney (Latrobe) – 13 Years
• Councillor Linda Cassidy (Kentish) – 10 Years
• Councillor Phillip Richards (Kentish) – 10 Years
• Councillor Rodney Blenkhorn (Kentish) – 10 Years
• Mayor Kate Haberle (Kentish) – 10 Years
• Councillor Gerrad Wicks (Latrobe) – 10 Years
• Councillor Graeme Brown (Latrobe) – 10 Years

Peter Hollister

Mayor Christina Holmdahl has served on the West Tamar Council for 14 years and has been Mayor since 2014.

She served eight years on the LGAT General Management Committee, including two terms as President of LGAT.

During her time as LGAT President, she also served as Vice President of the Australian Local Government Association.  Christina also worked with two Premiers and five different local government Ministers on challenging issues such as the review of the Local Government Act, the COVID-19 pandemic, and most recently the Future of Local Government Review. Throughout this time she displayed her leadership and fierce advocacy for the local government sector.

In her own municipality, she works within a range of community organisations across the arts, emergency services and is a member of the Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce.

Rolph Vos

Rolph Vos had over 27 years of service at West Tamar Council.

He joined the council in 1996 as a cadet building surveyor and then worked his way up through the organisation to become General Manager in 2016.

His work at West Tamar is characterised by the strong partnerships he helped form with the community and with other tiers of government.

Rolph represented the sector on a number of key bodies, such as the Australian Building Codes Board and LG Professionals.

Rolph exemplifies the spirit of local government and carries significant respect across the sector of both officers and elected representatives.

John Brown has served in local government for 22 years, with 14 of those as General Manager of Break O’Day Council.

John is an active contributor and leader within regional groups, such as the Northern General Managers Group and is contributing to the entire sector through the Elected Members Learning and Development Governance Group.

He has helped to bring to fruition important community and infrastructure projects such as the Triple J One Night Stand and the St Helens mountain bike trails. John is a recognised leader within his community through employment initiatives and local boards, demonstrating the important role that local government plays in our towns and cities.

Jon Doole

^{(Pictured: Gary Arnold, General Manager of Kingborough Council, accepting the Award on behalf of Jon's family).}

Awarded posthumously, Jon Doole’s more than thirty years at Kingborough Council saw him have a tremendous impact on Tasmanian local government and on climate change action in particular.

He helped drive regional climate collaboration with other Tasmanian councils and interstate. He helped his council, one of the first councils in the country, to develop a Climate Change and Energy Plan and championed its transition to cleaner vehicles and supporting its communities vulnerable to climate change.

Jon’s approach resulted in Kingborough being recognised as a leader in responding to climate risks and reducing carbon emissions

^{(Pictured: Leigh Gray and Philip Owen)}

The following Elected Members were presented with their Recognition of Service Award:

• Mayor Leigh Gray, Brighton Council – 17 years (2005–current)
• Deputy Mayor Barbara Curran, Brighton Council – 27 years (1996–current)
• Councillor Philip Owen, Brighton Council – 34 years (1989– current)
• Councillor Peter Geard, Brighton Council – 35 years (1984–1993; 1997– current).

Mr Nick Heath contributed over 30 years to local government. He was appointed General Manager of the City of Hobart in November 2008. Prior to holding this position he was Deputy General Manager, Director Strategy and Governance. A lawyer by trade, Nick has been a strong advocate for Hobart leading the municipality through impressive growth and supporting community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nick has demonstrated great sector collegiality and representation throughout his career including through providing input into a range of LGAT policies and projects; through his representative role with Quadrant Super, through contributing to the National Chief Officers’ group and representing the sector on the Premier’s Local Government Council Officials Group.

Nick’s strong focus on governance and strategic planning saw over 1,100 contributions to the development of Hobart’s City Vision and the development of a Smart Cities Framework which provides a road map for Hobart to use technology and data to better serve the community.

As General Manager, Nick ensured Council’s commitment to environmental sustainability is tangible with Hobart becoming the first city to introduce a single-use plastics bylaw; introducing smoke-free areas in the inner city and developing a Waste Management Strategy to help council achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030.

Councillor Tony Bisdee OAM, Southern Midlands Council

^{(Pictured: LGAT CEO Dr Katrena Stephenson, Clr Tony Bisdee OAM, LGAT President Mayor Christina Holmdahl)}

Councillor Tony Bisdee’s career in Local Government spans almost 40 years commencing with his election to the former Green Ponds Council in 1972. He served continuously in both the former Green Ponds Council and the amalgamated Council of Southern Midlands since then – as Deputy Warden, Warden, Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor. He was the inaugural Mayor of the newly created Southern Midlands Council.

Tony has been a strong contributor to LGAT and the sector in general.  His many positions in Local Government have included: both member of the LGAT General Management Committee and President from 1998–2000. He served as Vice President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) 1998–2000. He has been both Vice Chair and Chair at the Southern Tasmanian Councils Association (STCA) and represented LGAT on the Tasmanian Weed Management Committee. He also served as the Deputy Chief Owner Representative for TasWater.

He has also received a Centenary Medal from the Federal Government in 2000 for service to the sector. In 2009 he was presented with Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2009 for service to Local Government and to the Community of the Southern Midlands.

Mayor Doug Chipman, was elected as an Alderman to City of Clarence Council in 2000, elected Deputy Mayor in 2007, and Mayor in 2011. Doug focused on the economic and community development challenges confronting the growing city, along with managing the impacts of climate change.

In 2015, Doug was elected to LGAT’s General Management Committee and later in 2015 as LGAT President. As LGAT President, Doug hit the ground running with a newly appointed Liberal Government commencing planning reform, building reform, a targeted review of the Local Government Act, Boards of Inquiries, Feasibility studies, a review of Code of Conduct provisions and an attempted takeover of TasWater all in his first two years. Doug is particularly noted for his superb advocacy with respect to keeping TasWater in Local Government hands, maintaining a positive and effective relationship with the State Government even in challenging times.

While he is stepping down as LGAT President, Doug has definitely not stepped away from his whole of sector approach to Local Government. In 2018, Doug was elected as Chief Owner Representative of TasWater and more recently was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Regional Development Australia Committee (Tasmania).

Mr Andrew Paul, Retired General Manager, City of Clarence

^{(Pictured: LGAT President Mayor Christina Holmdahl, Mr Andrew Paul, LGAT CEO Dr Katrena Stephenson.)}

Andrew Paul was General Manager at City of Clarence for 16 years, retiring in July 2019. Commencing in 1977, Andrew served in Local Government for over 40 years with over 20 years in Executive roles. Prior to being appointed at City of Clarence in 2003, Andrew worked in both Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Andrew is well respected in the industry and is seen as a valuable contributor to Boards and organisations. He has served on a number of committees and organisations during his period in Local Government in Tasmania. Andrew has been a strong supporter of LGAT and other councils, quick to provide advice and feedback or lend an officer’s time or expertise. In his time at Clarence, Andrew led the City through a period of sustained, and impressive growth.

Ron Sanderson, an engineer by profession, began his career in Tasmanian Local Government as Manager of Technical Services for the Circular Head Council in 1987. In 1993 Ron moved to Brighton Council as Manager Engineering Services and quickly became Deputy General Manager. Ron was appointed General Manager in 2005.

During Ron Sanderson’s leadership as General Manager, the Brighton Municipality has experienced exponential growth, services to ratepayers and the community have expanded significantly, key innovations have been introduced, and the Council has been managed in a highly efficient and cost-effective manner. Ron has been a strong advocate for the Brighton Municipality to important stakeholders at local, state and national level.

Ron believes local government is a community and has always been willing to help another council or other individuals within the sector. He has fostered a positive and healthy work environment, where people are encouraged to try things, be creative and to learn. The low staff turnover at Brighton Council is a testament to this supportive and flexible culture. Ron Sanderson, who is one of the longest-serving council general managers in Tasmania, is recognised as a generous leader in local government and for community service in Tasmania.

Mr Robin McKendirck, (formerly) City of Launceston

^{(Pictured: LGAT President Christina Holmdahl, Mr Robin McKendrick, LGAT CEO Katrena Stephenson)}

Robin McKendrick was first elected City of Launceston Council in 1981. Robin was also Deputy Mayor for two years (from 1988 to 1990) and is one of the longest-servicing Councillors in Tasmanian Local Government history with 37 years of continuous service to the community.

Robin has demonstrated a deep commitment to the people of Launceston, including 21 years on the Council's Economic Development Committee. He also played a key role in the development of UTAS Stadium and the surrounding Inveresk Precinct - including 18 years of service to the York Park and Inveresk Precinct Authority, where he was Chair for 12 years.

Robin's long list of achievements is impressive and his tireless work as an elected representative of the Launceston ratepayers is a testament to his dedication to the municipality. During the 1980s and 90s, Robin was involved in over 23 committees and organisations while on Council, including the Community Youth Support Scheme, the Festivale Committee, the Launceston Community Health Centre Committee and the Northern Regional Library Advisory Board. Robin McKendrick is to be congratulated on 37 years of dedicated civic service to the people of Launceston