Ipswich City Council has hit the ground running in 2025, celebrating community achievements and preparing for significant international engagements. Mayor Teresa Harding shared updates on the Australia Day Awards, upcoming council meetings, and plans to strengthen ties with sister city Nerima, Japan.
At the 2025 Ipswich Australia Day Awards, Martin Shaw was named Citizen of the Year for his dedication as President of Wounded Heroes Australia, a crisis support group for Defence Force members and their families. Other notable winners included Jan White (Senior Citizen of the Year), cultural advocate Jomar Neva (Cultural Award), and hockey umpire Steve Rogers (Sport and Recreation Award). Wounded Heroes Australia also took home Community Group of the Year. Full details on the awardees can be found at Ipswich First.
The council convened its first Ordinary Meeting of the year today. Normally held on the fourth Thursday of each month, the meeting was rescheduled to accommodate Mayor Harding and Councillor Marni Doyle’s upcoming overseas trip.
The international itinerary includes a visit to Nerima, Ipswich’s sister city in Japan, which celebrated 30 years of partnership last year. Mayor Harding highlighted the cultural and economic benefits of the visit, stating, “We’ll learn from Nerima’s waste management and transport systems.”
Following the Japan visit, the mayor and a delegation from the Council of Mayors Southeast Queensland will head to Singapore. The focus will be on leveraging lessons from previous Olympic Games, particularly around volunteer programs, infrastructure management, and citywide waste solutions, in preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
Mayor Harding emphasised transparency, promising a full report on the outcomes and costs of the trip.
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