Region rewarded for Building Community at 2023 Telstra Best of Business awards

Region is among seven winners in this year’s ACT Telstra Best of Business Awards, taking out the Building Community award for 2023.

Region publishes Riotact, About Regional, Region Riverina, and Riotact China and associated social media sites including The Canberra Page and This is Canberra.

The award recognises businesses “working to make a positive impact on culture and society so people from all walks of life can thrive as part of a supportive community” and region was among six local finalists.

Region was also a finalist in the Innovation category, recognising businesses innovating with technology to develop solutions for challenges faced by modern Australia and the Outstanding Growth category, for businesses achieving significant growth and contributing to building a more resilient Australian economy.

The judges recognised Region‘s strong community partnership network and commitment to bringing the community, business and the not-for-profit sector together in service of Canberra.

Accepting the award on Region’s behalf, group editor Genevieve Jacobs said Region had recognised “from the very beginning of our journey that we’ll get nowhere unless we are trustworthy citizens”.

“We see ourselves at Region as a net across the community, touching it at every point with news, stories and ideas,” she said.

“Our writers live here and work here. We are funded from here, we are owned here, we are part of this place, and we owe it a duty of care. At Region, we take that responsibility very seriously indeed.”

The Accelerating Women category was won by Wildly Strong, a business that builds health and confidence in women, and works to free them from preoccupations with body image and dieting. Owner Jennifer Lee said she had been driven by her own life experiences to create solutions that nurture women in every way.

The National Nursing Agency was nominated across four different categories and won the championing health category. Judges recognised the agency for its “passion, purpose and dedication”, and owner Lisa Walker paid tribute to her team of nurses and carers, whom she viewed as family, despite the incredible challenges of the past three years.

The Mullion Group was recognised for its work in the innovation category. After beginning the business helping countries to develop a greenhouse gas inventory and identify their carbon stories, CEO Rob Waterhouse said they realised “the problems these countries faced were the same landholders and farmers faced in Australia. It was data rich environment but we needed better information”.

The result was a fully integrated system that provides clear information on carbon effects, making use of all the best data sources available.

Evolve FM were winners in the Indigenous Excellence category. CEO Amy Castro said the company channelled Federal Government spend from 23 different government clients with national property portfolios. They have channelled $60 million of spend to 51 per cent indigenous businesses in recent years, with a remarkable multiplying effect equalling $250 million in the indigenous economy.

The Outstanding Growth category was won by GoBoat. Owner Nick Tyrrell said that when he told friends in Sydney that he was starting an electric boat business on Lake Burley Griffin “they thought I’d gone crazy with the cold”.

But the rapidly growing business democratised the boating experience and there are which now 70 boats in six locations around Australia.

Electomotiv, whose business mission is to “bring the SEXY back to the bus industry”, won the Promoting Sustainability category. Despite slow uptake initially in the Australian market, the company has been successful selling into New Zealand and Mexico, helping bus operators transition from old-fashioned diesel and optimising all their renewable options including financing.

Category winners from the ACT now go to the national awards, to be held in Melbourne at the end of March.