Book Tickets Here
Tickets for the 2022 Southern Grampians Business Awards are now on sale.
Where: Hamilton Performing Arts Centre
When: Friday 9 September, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Price: $65 per ticket
2022 Business Awards Presenter: Kirsten Diprose
Kirsten Diprose is a communications specialist and content creator, with expertise in broadcast (radio and podcasts).
She is a Research Fellow at Deakin University, where she is an Associate Knowledge Broker for the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. In this role, she helps to bridge the gap between the scientific research and on the ground action within farming communities. Kirsten is also a PhD candidate at Deakin, studying misinformation in agriculture in the news and social media.
Kirsten also co-hosts and produces the podcast “Ducks on the Pond” (telling the stories of rural women across Australia).
In 2021, Kirsten was appointed as a Board Director at South West TAFE.
Prior to this, Kirsten worked as a journalist for 15 years, mainly for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. You can still find her presenting once a fortnight on the Conversation Hour on ABC Radio Melbourne and occasionally presenting the weather on ABC News Breakfast.
Kirsten lives on a mixed grazing and cropping farm in south-west Victoria with her husband and two sons.
Mayor Cr. Bruach Colliton
“We know the last two years have had a huge impact on our local businesses as they have continually adapted to meet and overcome challenges of the pandemic.
It’s exciting to have the Southern Grampians Shire Council Business Awards back for the first time since 2019 to not only support our local businesses but to also celebrate all they have managed to achieve during this time.
The process of applying for a Business Award provides business owners the opportunity to highlight the strengths, recognise areas to expand, and to acknowledge the skills they bring to our resilient region.
Council remains committed to supporting our business community to rebuild, to come back bigger and better, and to grow enterprises across the Southern Grampians.”
Judge – Kevin Bennett
“Welcome to the 2022 Southern Grampians Shire Awards. The last 2 years have proved to be very challenging and has tested every business in so many ways.
While I was not able to travel in 2020 and a major part of 2021, I still managed to catchup remotely with many businesses around Australia to support and understand their key challenges and for some opportunities to grow and build their business.
What did become very clear is that the core principles and methodologies of Business Excellence we have used at the core of these awards are just as relevant, if not more. Our message has always been, that taking time out to ‘work on your business instead of in your business’ is a valuable and critical part of Leadership and building a better business.
I encourage all businesses to celebrate their staff and nominate an employee to be recognised as having a positive impact on your business, developed as a person / employee and contributed to the growth and success of the business. This has been one of the major highlights of my time being a judge, and I look forward to meeting these fantastic team members.
So now is the time to ‘work on your business’, download the application forms, discuss with your team and complete / submit to enter the 2022 awards
I am looking forward to meeting many of you again, and if this is your first time as an entrant, congratulations and look forward to learning more about you, your team and your business.
Good luck to all who apply, just being part of the awards is a great step forward, lets work together and celebrate the excellent businesses in the region”
Rowley Paterson – Chairman of Ace Radio
“Hamilton and the other nine communities that make up the Shire of Southern Grampians have
a wealth of business experience
and a steady expansion of business activity. The business awards is the perfect forum to recognize the hard work, dedication and success of the business region.”
Greg Stevens – General Manager of Hamilton Spectator
“We are proud to be associated with the business awards again, they provide a fantastic opportunity to not only recognise outstanding business practices, but provide the motivation for business development and growth across the Southern Grampians Shire”.
*Nominations are now closed* for the 2022 Southern Grampians Shire Business Awards.
The Awards represent an opportunity to benchmark your business, to assess your business processes and to identify what makes your business outstanding.
*Entries open 9 May 2022 and close 15 July 2022
Awards Timeline
Entries Open: Monday 9th May 2022
Entries Close: Friday 15th July 2022
Judging: Monday 15th August – 19th August
Presentation Evening: Friday 9th September
Feedback Visits: November
Entry Criteria and Judging Process
Entrants must be located and operate within the Southern Grampians Shire boundaries and have been operating over the last 12 months. Businesses are asked to identify their main business activity on the entry form and the judge will determine the finalists and winners in the various categories.
All entries will be visited by the independent judge who will visit the nominated business and talk through the strengths and achievements of that business.
The judge is available to visit each business post the awards evening to discuss steps that can be taken to improve the business processes. Written feedback may also be provided on request.
The judging system presents businesses with an outstanding opportunity to recieve business mentoring as part of reviewing and improving a business.
Further Information
For any further information, please contact Daniel Shaw, Business Development Officer on 0429 578 216 or email dshaw@sthgrampians.vic.gov.au
We would like to thank and acknowledge the following sponsors for their support:
Retail Business – Hamilton Spectator
Open to all retail operators
Open to all manufacturing business operators
Service Business – WDEA Works
Open to those who offer services to the public or businesses other than retail services
Technology/Innovation – South West TAFE
Open to all businesses that can demonstrate innovative business practices in the use of technology
Inclusive Business – Iluka Resources
Open to businesses that offer outstanding physical access and inclusive customer service in addition to offering significant inclusion opportunities to people with a physical, intellectual or psychiatric disability
Regional Business – Bendigo Bank
Open to all businesses that are based outside Hamilton
Employee of the Year – Hamilton Regional Business Association
Open to employees, apprentices and trainees who demonstrate high levels of customer satisfaction and commitment to the workplace
Small/Micro Business – Sinclair Wilson
Open to businesses that have no more than four effective full time staff including the owners
Community Enterprise – Ace Radio
Open to businesses that are government funded or community funded and offer programs that demonstrate excellence – government funded agencies must demonstrate excellence beyond their core business
Sustainable – Glenelg Hopkins CMA
Open to businesses who demonstrate a high level of commitment to ethical, social and environmental leadership.
Tourism Business
Open to those who offer accommodation, tours, activities and
experiences and have a focus on tourist visitors
*Entries open 10 May 2022 and close 15 July 2022