Gilgandra Shire Council roads grader operator, Rani Diggs, has been awarded the prestigious Young Achievers Award at the 2025 Ministers’ Award for Women in Local Government.
At just 20 years of age, Gilgandra Council Director Infrastructure, Daryl Colwell said Ms Diggs had already forged an impressive career with the organisation, standing out as a young, enthusiastic and hardworking employee who was excelling in a traditionally male-dominated field.
“Her determination, professionalism, and skill have seen her exceed expectations well beyond her years, earning respect from colleagues and the community. Rani is very deserving of this award,” said Mr Colwell.
“Rani has not only gained the respect of her peers but also of the wider community, and it’s always a proud moment to receive positive feedback on the great work our employees are delivering,” said Council General Manager, David Neeves.
“When we look at ways to enable opportunities for the youth to gain careers in Local Government, particularly by creating traineeship and apprenticeship pathways, it is extremely rewarding to see a young lady like Rani not only embrace the opportunity but thrive in the role. It is extremely rewarding for the Council.”
Ms Diggs commented on her achievement saying, “It’s a nice feeling to be recognised as a young woman achieving in my chosen profession, across the whole of the NSW local Government Industry. I enjoy what I do, the people I work with, and seeing my work have a positive outcome on the community. I wish to thank Council for the opportunity and their ongoing support.”
She began working with Council in 2021 as a Personal Carer at Cooee Lodge Residential Aged Care Facility while still at high school.
In 2023, she successfully gained a Plant Operator Civil Construction apprenticeship, earning tickets across multiple civil machines, securing her HR truck licence, and completing a Certificate III in Civil Construction – all within just two years. By June 2024, she had progressed into a permanent Roller Plant Operator role.
Now acting in the role of a Road Maintenance Team Leader / Grader Operator, Ms Diggs delivers a critical service for the community, grading and maintaining Council’s unsealed rural road network.
“Rani has progressed to being a highly capable road grader operator, supervising a team of long-term, experienced male colleagues. As the team leader, Rani is responsible for coordinating team members, liaising with local landholders and local contractors to deliver a highly valued service of road maintenance. A responsibility she handles with maturity and confidence,” says Mr Colwell.
Council Rural Roads Coordinator, Ashley Hazelton, says Ms Diggs’ work was widely recognised locally.
“Her quality of work is outstanding – we frequently receive compliments from landowners on the exceptional standard of her work. Rani has become an invaluable member of the team,” she said.
Mayor, Doug Batten said the young staffer’s achievements reflected her resilience, skill, and pride in her work.
“She has already established herself as a role model. Eight years ago, Council embarked on a journey to provide more roles to help develop and retain youth in our community, and Rani is a beneficiary of this program,” he said.
Ms Diggs accepted her award at Parliament House in Sydney from Local Government Minister, Ron Hoenig and Minister for Women, Jodie Harrison.
“It’s an honour to present these awards which celebrate the outstanding achievements of women in local government across NSW,” said Minister Hoenig.
“The winners represent the countless women working for their communities as elected representatives and council staff – from those just starting out, to women with decades of experience in local government.
“While their career journeys are diverse, the common thread among all the winners is the impact they see local government having in their community.
“These awards are a chance to recognise the invaluable contribution women make to councils across NSW every day and I’d like to congratulate not just our winners, but all nominees for their exceptional hard work and dedication.”
The prestigious awards, now in their 18th year, celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of women in councils across NSW.
This year saw an impressive field of winners from over 100 nominations, highlighting the many incredible women serving as councillors and working in diverse careers in local government.
“We have been making great inroads towards increasing female representation on our councils. The number of women elected at last year’s local government elections reached a record 40.5 per cent of all councillors, but we know there is still more work to do,” said Minister Harrison.
“These exceptional women are role models for those coming through to follow in their footsteps towards a meaningful career in councils.”
The winners of the 2025 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government are:
Alternate Pathways Award – Metro:
- Jessica Speechly (pictured, below) – Senior Coordinator Environmental Health (Blacktown City Council)
Alternate Pathways Award – Regional/Rural:
- Kira Mendes – Parks Maintenance Supervisor (Bathurst Regional Council)
Champion of Change Award – Metro:
- Vanessa Parkes (pictured, above) – Director City Living (Blacktown City Council)
Champion of Change Award – Regional/Rural:
- Naomi Searle (pictured below, second from right) – Director Sustainable Communities and Environment (Tweed Shire Council)
Elected Representative Award – Metro:
- Cr Carolyn Corrigan – Councillor (Mosman Municipal Council)
Elected Representative Award – Regional/Rural:
- Cr Leah Anderson – Mayor (Port Stephens Council)
Woman of Distinction Award – Metro (joint winners):
- Katie Anderson (pictured, above) – Director Community & Culture (Randwick City Council)
- Helen Bradley (pictured, below) – Manager, Resource Recovery Planning (Inner West Council)
Woman of Distinction Award – Regional/Rural:
- Karen Partington – Manager Assets (Lake Macquarie City Council)
Young Achiever’s Award – Metro:
- Ceyda Nalbantoglu – Digital Assistant (Liverpool City Council)
Young Achiever’s Award – Regional/Rural
- Rani Diggs – Relieving Grader Operator Team Leader (Gilgandra Shire Council)
Councillor Lilliane Brady OAM Award
- Cr Phyllis Miller OAM – Mayor Forbes Shire Council, President of Local Government NSW
For more information about the awards visit: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/our-minister/ministers-awards-for-women-in-local-government /.
