A WORD FROM THE CEO
Mad March might have officially come to an end for us, but that doesn't mean we've stopped charging ahead with planning for events, conferences, programs and educational opportunities into April and beyond!
Reflecting on the month that has been, it's been fulfilling to see so many of you join us across events such as the Women’s Network Forum, General Managers and Directors Network Forum, Annual State Conference, and the Business Performance and Improvement Network Forum. |
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This month, we held our LG Professionals SA 2025 Annual State Conference. With many incredible and inspiring speakers, we explored the essential dimensions of professional, community, and economic growth for local government employees. The feedback we've received from the event has been both exciting and appreciative - with many saying it was our best State Conference yet. No pressure for next year - but my team and I will be aiming to exceed expectations again in 2026!
At the State Conference we announced a new Women's scholarship, proudly supported by one of our fantastic conference
speakers, Daniel Fletcher. You can now apply for the opportunity and read our full recap of the event below.
As we head into April, the excitement is building for the LG Professionals SA Management Challenge. I know just how much effort, energy and excitement that goes into the day by the teams and mentors who are joining us, and I send my very best wishes to everyone who will be there on the day - see you soon!
I’m excited to announce that the Workforce and Gender Equality in South Australian Local Government Project has been completed, and we are sure it will provide valuable information and resources for the sector. The project has been undertaken over the past 14 months by LG Professionals SA and supported by the LGA Research & Development Scheme. We will be selectively releasing the report over the next few weeks and if you would like to make sure you receive a copy, please click here to register your interest.
We have kicked off announcing finalists for our LG Professionals SA 24th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards – I hope you hear some cheers within your workspaces as the news hits your inboxes over the following weeks. Congratulations again to all finalists and a sincere thank you to all who nominated.
Best wishes,
Rhiannon
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GROWTH UNLEASHED AT THE LG PROFESSIONALS SA ANNUAL STATE CONFERENCE
Thank you to the 250+ local government professionals who joined us on Friday 21 March at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre for the 2025 LG Professionals SA Annual State Conference. It was a day filled with insightful discussions, inspiring speakers, and valuable networking opportunities, all centered around this year’s theme: Growth Unleashed. A huge thank you to all our speakers, panellists, corporate partners, and event sponsors - your support makes this event possible. We look forward to seeing you all next year for the 2026 LG Professionals SA Annual State Conference, where we’ll continue to learn, grow, and shape the future of local government together. |
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WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY NOW OPEN!
Nominations close Friday 2 May 2025
Nominations are now open for LG Professionals SA Members to apply for a scholarship to join one of our Women’s Leadership Programs - Career Catalyst or Career Navigator. This scholarship aims to support and empower women to grow in leadership roles within our community, and is generously supported by Daniel Fletcher, General Manager - Community & Liveability, Western Downs Regional Council QLD.
To apply to complete one of these programs through the scholarship, please enter your details through the button below, ensuring that you meet the eligibility of the selected program.
The scholarship will be awarded through a random draw from all eligible applicants, with one scholarship to be awarded.
Nominations close 5:00PM on Friday 2 May 2025. Scholarship recipients must be able to complete the selected program in 2025 or 2026 (dates to be confirmed), and at that time be employed in local government in South Australia. The scholarship is not transferrable. Should the selected program not be on offer in 2025 or 2026, an alternate professional development opportunity of the same investment value will be provided. |
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THE COUNTDOWN IS ON! 2025 LG PROFESSIONALS SA LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE
Wednesday 9 April 2025
The teams are set... the energy is building... the matching game day uniforms are organised... and the countdown is on for the LG Professionals SA 2025 Local Government Management Challenge!
The Management Challenge is a simulation-based team building, learning and networking program using real local government themes - the types of issues that a senior management team in a council would most likely face.
We're looking forward to welcoming teams from across our South Australian councils for a day packed with unique, fast-paced tasks and a "pressure cooker" environment.
We'd like to send our best wishes along to all joining us on the day, and above all, we hope that you learn from the day, have fun with your teams, and put your best foot forward - the day will be over before you know it! |
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ARE YOU READY FOR WHAT'S AHEAD? TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
Thursday 22 May 2025
The wait is over, tickets are now on sale for the Leading Edge: AI for Local Government Innovators event, a one-day conference to help councils navigate AI’s potential while addressing the risks and responsibilities of its use.
The event will feature South Australian case studies
alongside national and global expertise, providing practical,
implementation-ready solutions for your council.
To view the program and to learn more about what's in store on the day, please visit our website.
This event is proudly brought to you by LG Professionals SA, LGA South Australia, and Local Government Information Technology South Australia. |
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JOIN US TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR SECTOR
Friday 9 May 2025 It's that time of year again, where we come together to
recognise, support and celebrate the fantastic work being done by our
colleagues across the sector. We're so excited to celebrate 24 years of the LG
Professionals SA Leadership Excellence Awards!
Our
Annual Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner is a great way to celebrate our
sector's achievements, be inspired and network with peers!
Date: Friday
9 May 2025
Time: 6:30PM
till late
Location: Adelaide
Convention Centre
Registrations
for our 24th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner must
close Wednesday 23 April 2025 at 5:00PM unless sold out prior. Don't miss out! |
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CELEBRATING OUR 2025 LG PROFESSIONALS SA WOMEN'S CAREER CATALYST PROGRAM COHORT
We’d like to take a moment to celebrate our 2025 LG Professionals SA Women’s Career Catalyst Program cohort for diving into their professional development journey!
Hosted by Anna from Hacks For Her, this multi-day intensive program develops women who are committed to their learning and supporting the growth of their co-participants.
Our cohort this year consisted of (in alphabetical order of last name): Michelle Arbon, Sally Bartlett, Jenna Bloom, Michelle Callaghan, Caitlin Clothier, Kathrin Davidson, Kathryn Goldy, Elyse Hearne, Sharee Klein, Naomi Nielsen, Nicola Slack, Jasmine Yates.
The LG Professionals SA Women's Career Catalyst Program is designed for female leaders who want to build a strong leadership legacy and identity, without compromising their values, wellbeing or relationships.
We hope they have enjoyed the program spanning February and March, and we look forward to hearing what they have learned from the experience. |
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This month we spoke with Dewald Hartzenberg, Manager City Maintenance, City of Charles Sturt, about his career journey and recent council move, his experience in the LG Professionals SA Executive Leaders Program, and his advice for those participating in the 2025
LG Professionals SA Management Challenge.
What is your role and how long have you been in local government?
I am currently the Manager City Maintenance at the City of Charles Sturt. I’ve been in Local Government for 14 years, starting in the City of Tea Tree Gully communications team as their Events Officer. Read more... |
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Dewald Hartzenberg
Manager City Maintenance
City of Charles Sturt |
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LEVEL UP YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LG Professionals SA offer a range of short courses that have been curated to equip the sector’s staff with the skills that are essential to deliver on efficiency, performance and continuous improvement.
We currently have a variety of short courses scheduled to be hosted at LG House, 148 Frome Street, Adelaide - take a look below.
Have questions? Please contact Eve Jackson, Training Support Officer at eve@lgprofessionalssa.org.au for more information on any of our short courses or how we can bring them in-house to your council or subsidiary. |
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MANAGING YOUR TIME, ENERGY & PRIORITIES
Tuesday 29 April 2025
This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to improve your time management approach to your daily and weekly workload - work smarter, not harder! You’ll dive into issues that are preventing you from reaching optimum effectiveness and develop a range of techniques and strategies to better manage your time and get more out of your day. |
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ADVANCED PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Tuesday 6 May 2025
Beyond providing you with essential knowledge and skills to plan, manage and execute projects on time and on budget, this course takes a deeper dive into project management theory and looks at both operational and strategic elements of project management. |
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INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Monday 28 July 2025
This short course is designed to cover the basic principles of managing projects to help you plan, control and organise activities to ensure that you are delivering successful projects every time. It is best suited for staff who may be new to managing projects or have not previously undertaken any formal project management training. |
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NOMINATE A PEER FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Call for Nominations is now open for the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Government.
This Award recognises and acknowledges a local government professional who has gone above and beyond and made an outstanding contribution to the local government sector in South Australia. Nominations are to be submitted by their peers and the award recipient will be determined by the Executive of the Board of LG Professionals SA. For more information and nomination criteria please download the Call for Nominations form.
Nominations must be received by 5:00PM Wednesday 9 April 2025 and be submitted to Rhiannon Clarke at executive@lgprofessionalssa.org.au.
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We caught up with one of last year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Josephine Baker, Executive Assistant & Project Officer, City of Mitcham, to find out how she enjoyed the program.
What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?
I was interested in meeting new people from other councils and gaining an understanding of how things worked in and across their local government organisations. Through the program, I made some great friends who are fabulous contacts should I need to ask questions of other councils to problem-solve and make improvements to my own processes and projects.
What was your biggest takeaway from the program?
Communication and leadership skills. There are many different forms of leaders, with the most well-known being technical leaders and people leaders. Understanding these leadership types has allowed me to have discussions with fellow staff members about any issues they are experiencing, as well as problems they might be having within their personal leadership sphere. Understanding the Team Management Profile and from that, the differences between people's different working and communication styles has given me further insight into how some people work differently. |
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As an Executive Assistant, this is a great asset to hold, as I've been able to apply this to how my Managers and General Managers work, and how I can change some of my work styles to accommodate them.
What advice would you give to someone considering doing the Emerging Leaders Program?
Don’t consider it - just do it! What is the worst that can happen? You may not get in this year, but try again next year. Even if you just mention it to your leader so they are aware you are interested can go a long way. The LG Professionals SA Management Challenge is also a great step toward learning alternative ways on how to approach work, and that there are such a wide variety of people across your organisation with different and valuable skills. |
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Josephine Baker
Executive Assistant & Project Officer
City of Mitcham |
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If you were looking forward to joining us in the program this year, we encourage you to sign up to our waitlist to be the first to be notified of any
places that might open up for the program. |
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YOUR NEEDS, YOUR MEMBERSHIP
5. STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE
Respected and widely recognised within and outside of the sector, our Leadership Excellence Awards Program began in 2001 and celebrates outstanding achievements and innovation in local government. The awards showcase the level of expertise and excellence in our sector and is an opportunity exclusive to Members only.
Learn more about what your LG Professionals SA Membership offers you. |
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NEW
MEMBERS
Welcome
to our 92 new members! Click here to see the list.
We look forward to
providing support and professional development and networking
opportunities
through every stage of your local government career.
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LG PROFESSIONALS SA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NETWORK FORUM: EXPLORING INCLUSION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: BEYOND PLANS AND POLICIES
You're invited to attend the upcoming LG Professionals SA Community Development Network for their first Forum of 2025: Exploring Inclusion in Local Government: Beyond Plans and Policies.
Join us for an engaging online session where we’ll share short stories illustrating the power of authentic inclusion, together with the latest initiatives that councils are adopting when approaching inclusion. This session is for anyone involved in working with communities.
This Forum will be held via Zoom on Thursday 3 April from 9:30AM – 11:30AM. |
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Our Network Forums provide our Members the opportunity to learn and develop whilst sharing and networking with peers from their own and other councils and subsidiaries across the state. Our upcoming Forums include:
Thursday 8 May 2025 - LG Professionals SA People and Culture Network Forum Wednesday 11 June 2025 - LG Professionals SA Women's Network Forum Wednesday 18 June 2025 - LG Professionals SA General Managers and Directors Network Forum
Registrations and further details on our Forums coming soon! |
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LG PROFESSIONALS SA SPONSORSHIP AND CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP
Do you work for or know an organisation who would be interested in gaining exposure to local government professionals through sponsorship with LG Professionals SA?
As a not-for-profit association, LG Professionals SA rely on the support of sponsors to be able to continue to deliver the range of high quality events and professional development programs that we are known for.
Partnering with sponsors also creates opportunities for our members to learn, build
relationships and receive best value. Please contact Megan Down, Manager - Events and Partnerships, for further details on corporate partnership opportunities. |
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ABOUT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONALS AUSTRALIA, SA
LG
Professionals SA is a not-for-profit member based association representing
professionals working in local government in South Australia.
We have
the ability to link and connect people from different councils who may not
otherwise form relationships or share.
Our high
quality professional development programs and networking events are uniquely
local government – reflective of the culture of the sector and sensitive to the
needs of its
professionals.
The
content of our events and programs are informed by our members and people who
genuinely care about the sector.
We
provide a safe and supportive environment in which to grow and learn while
creating
opportunities to make time away from the office to work on the
business or on self.
We award and acknowledge
achievements of excellence. |
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