Citizen of the Year Awards 2025 Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for Young Citizen of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Senior Citizen of the Year are as follows:

• Nominees must be an Australian Citizen at the time of nomination.
• Nominees must have resided or worked within the City of Parramatta LGA in the past 12 months at the time of nomination. This includes work of a voluntary nature.
• Nominees must not be a sitting local, state or federal politician, or have immediately left office.
• Nominees must be of good fame and character.

The following conditions of entry apply to all individual nominations:

• Nominations must be made on the official nomination form and submitted online or via email with any supporting documents. Assistance may be provided by Council staff.
• Nominations must be received by Council by the published closing date. Late applications and material will not be accepted and nominators will be provided the opportunity to reapply in the following year.
• Nominators can make submissions for more than one individual, but a separate form must be used for each nomination.
• Nominators can make a submission for a ‘couple’ or a ‘partnership’ to be considered for a single individual award if both are within the same subcategory.
• Individuals cannot self-nominate.
• Awards will not be granted posthumously.
• All nominees will be provided with the opportunity to accept their nomination and submit further supporting information within a specified period to be considered as part of their nomination. Late material will not be accepted.
• Past award recipients (award category or subcategory winners) will not be considered in the same category again.
• No weight is given to the number of times a person is nominated.
• Information provided in the nomination submission, and by the nominee, may be included in the event program and media release. Nominees should note, this could be a summary of the information provided and all information may not be included.
• All nomination information and materials submitted remain the property of Council.

Submissions should:

• Address the assessment criteria by outlining the nominee’s background, achievements, and reasons for nomination in 200 words or more.
• Include supporting documents such as character reference/s and photograph/s.

Recipients will be selected by the Judging Panel according to the following criteria and scoring structure:

• Undertaken activities which have a positive purpose and benefit to the community. Impact of these activities, by either an individual or group on the community is lasting and enduring. 30%
• Showed outstanding achievement in a specific field, including but not limited to academic, sporting, environmental, community engagement, business, welfare, arts and culture, leadership and civic responsibility. 30%
• Provide positive role model to others. 20%

Further that, higher consideration for award selection should be given to:

• Nominations located in the Parramatta LGA which also delivers the service to the City of Parramatta community. 10%
• Nominations of a volunteer nature, in kind service or contribution which is not in a paid capacity. 10%

Illegible nominations received before the advertised closing date will be provided the opportunity to reapply. Illegible nominations received after the closing date will be deemed ineligible for the current year and provided the opportunity to reapply in the following year.

The eligibility criteria for the Community Group Award is as follows:

• Community groups must be based, operating in or servicing the City of Parramatta LGA at the time of nomination.
• Community groups, projects and activities must have been held and largely contribute or significantly benefit the City of Parramatta LGA within 24 months of the nomination date.
• Community groups must be of good fame and character.

The following conditions of entry apply to all group nominations:
 

• Nominations must be made on the official nomination form and submitted online or via email with any supporting documents. Assistance may be provided by Council staff.
• Nominations must be received by Council by the published closing date. Late applications and material will not be accepted and nominators will be provided the opportunity to reapply in the following year.
• Nominators can make submissions for more than one group, but a separate form must be used for each nomination.
• Community groups may self-nominate.
• All nominees (excluding self-nominators) will be provided with the opportunity to accept their nomination and submit further supporting information within a specified period to be considered as part of their nomination. Late material will not be accepted.
• Past award recipients (award category or subcategory winners) will not be considered in the same category again.
• No weight is given to the number of times a group is nominated.
• Information provided in the nomination submission, and by the nominee, may be included in the event program and media release. Nominees should note, this could be a summary of the information provided and all information may not be included.
• All nomination information and materials submitted remain the property of Council.

Submissions should:

• Address the assessment criteria by outlining the nominee’s background, achievements, and reasons for nomination in 200 words or more.
• Include supporting documents such as character reference/s and photograph/s.

Recipients will be selected by the Judging Panel according to the following criteria and scoring structure:

• Undertaken activities which have a positive purpose and benefit to the community. Impact of these activities, by either an individual or group on the community is lasting and enduring. 30%
• Showed outstanding achievement in a specific field, including but not limited to academic, sporting, environmental, community engagement, business, welfare, arts and culture, leadership and civic responsibility. 30%
• Provide positive role model to others. 20%

Further that, higher consideration for award selection should be given to:

• Nominations located in the Parramatta LGA which also delivers the service to the City of Parramatta community. 10%
• Nominations of a volunteer nature, in kind service or contribution which is not in a paid capacity. 10%

Illegible nominations received before the advertised closing date will be provided the opportunity to reapply. Illegible nominations received after the closing date will be deemed ineligible for the current year and provided the opportunity to reapply in the following year.