The Planning Institute of Australia held its 2017 National Awards for Planning Excellence Ceremony in Sydney on 3 May 2017, awarding people and projects from around Australia for outstanding achievements in planning.
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria received the highest number of Awards, totalling four each, with Western Australia receiving two respectively.
The Planner of the Year Award went to Queensland planner Kate Isles. Having overseen several key resilience-building projects in her State, Kate was recognized for “her immense passion for planning, her dedication to excellence and her genuine desire to make a difference to Queensland’s communities.”
The Young Planner of the Year Award went to Victorian planning graduate Brighid Sammon, who was praised for her exceptionally strong commitment to planning through her proactive advocacy, networking and public speaking.
Another Victorian, renowned economist Terry Rawnsley, was announced as the 2017 Planning Champion, in recognition for his contribution to drawing media attention to planning issues and highlighting the importance of planning to Australia’s knowledge economy.
Sydney’s celebrated Goods Line received both the Great Place Award and a Commendation in the From Plan to Place category.
PIA’s National President, Brendan Nelson RPIA, said that these achievements bode well for a challenging future.
“The years and decades to come will bring significant challenges for Australia’s cities, but it is evident that our urban and regional planners are up to the task. As demonstrated by this year’s many impressive award nominations, the planning profession is embracing and utilising collaborative approaches as well as the latest technology to deliver great outcomes for our communities.”
The annual PIA National Awards for Planning Excellence start at State/Territory level with winners from each going on to be judged at the national level.
Read more about the category winners below:
National planning awards celebrate exemplary places
National planning awards celebrate professional achievement
National planning awards celebrate great ideas
National planning awards celebrate best practice in planning processes
