Council announced as finalist in National Economic Development Award

Published on 08 September 2022

Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s Economic Development team is thrilled to be announced as a finalist for the 2022 National Economic Development Awards for Excellence in the category of ‘Economic Development Recovery & Resilience’.

The award submission ‘Bouncing Back – It’s A Collective Effort’ outlined the leadership role played in the enormous recovery and rebuilding exercise by Council’s Economic Development unit in conjunction with a broader group of Council and community organisations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant storm event that affected the shire in June 2021.

Initiatives highlighted in the submission included Council’s Business Continuity and Resilience Program (BCRP) where local businesses affected by COVID-19 could apply for vouchers of up to $1,000 to use at local professional service and health and wellbeing businesses to help grow and strengthen their business; and the Go Local First Campaign which encouraged residents to shop at local businesses via social media campaigns, in addition to the implementation of State Government funded outdoor activation programs.

Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Bernie O’Sullivan, said the nomination was fantastic news and showed how working collaboratively during times of adversity could yield such positive outcomes.

“Council’s Economic Development team worked really hard to find out what our local business owners needed and, in conjunction with internal and external stakeholders, successfully drove the development and implementation of initiatives aimed at helping them recover from a period of significant challenges. Congratulations to everyone involved on becoming finalists,” he said.  

Winners will be announced during the National Economic Development Conference 2022 (NEDC22) on 13th October 2022 at Luna Park, Sydney. Find more information.