Finishing ahead of New Zealand’s Whakatane District Council and Tasmania’s Burnie Council, participants from Warrnambool took out the 2014 Local Government Managers Australia Australasian Manage-ment Challenge.

Communications manager Nick Higgins said the competition afforded the council team a great chance to observe other successful councils.

Having signed up for the annual professional development program, the Warrnambool team was short-listed based on a range of projects and activities completed throughout the year. The team has now set a benchmark for what the LGMA is trying to achieve at local government level.

Leadership, analytic, communication and problem solving skills will now hopefully become second nature for participants. LGMA National Acting CEO Lauren Oakley said the competition was important for ensuring future generations were able to step up to the plate and take over council positions.