2025 We Are Brimbank Awards Winners

Citizen of the Year:  

The Citizen of the Year is someone whose exceptional dedication, selflessness and leadership has made a profound impact in Brimbank, embodies the spirit of community, has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others, uplift our neighbourhoods and foster a sense of unity and belonging.

Winner: Jacob Thang

Jacob Thang (Cung Hlei Thang) is the founder of Chin Myanmar Community Care (CMCC), the Auschin Foundation, and Auschin Group, a Social Traders–certified social enterprise delivering landscaping and grounds maintenance across Melbourne. 

A refugee from Myanmar, Jacob has spent over a decade advancing opportunities for refugee and migrant communities in Victoria. Through CMCC, he supports culturally safe employment pathways, family services, and advocacy—particularly for older Chin women facing workforce barriers. 

Through Auschin Group, he has created jobs for more than 20 people from diverse backgrounds and secured major contracts worth $2–3 million annually. A quiet yet determined leader, Jacob Thang is widely respected for his integrity, vision, and sustained impact, with his work speaking powerfully to his commitment to community empowerment and inclusive economic participation.

Young Citizen of the Year: 

The Young Citizen of the Year is a remarkable young citizen who inspires all with their passion and commitment to creating a brighter future for Brimbank.

Winner: Todd Truong

Todd Truong is a passionate and zealous law and science student who avidly advocates for environmental policy, climate justice, and youth representation. Holding multiple diverse roles in leadership and ambassadorship across charities and various organisations, he is driven by opportunities to amplify under-represented voices and communities, and extends this motivation to societal reform, climate change education, and the wide-spread promotion of sustainability and practice. 

Todd wants to work in the legal sector and eventually become one of the first Vietnamese Australian justices in the courts, his experiences emphasising his true eagerness to make the world a better place in intersecting and overlapping ways.

Arts, Culture or Tourism Award: 

This award category recognises and celebrates the fantastic projects, events, groups or businesses that showcase and develop our communities’ rich cultural fabric.

Winner:  The Task At Hand Inc. 

The Task At Hand is a Brimbank-based not-for-profit public space arts company dedicated to improving the lives of people with physical and intellectual disabilities. It works to increase inclusion and visibility both within the arts industry and the broader community. 

The organisation creates original performances designed for public spaces, placing artists with disabilities front and centre to engage diverse audiences. In addition, it provides training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities, helping artists build networks and pathways toward meaningful employment. Through these initiatives, The Task At Hand fosters greater accessibility, representation, and participation in the arts.

Community Engagement Award:

This award category acknowledges and celebrates remarkable projects, events, groups, or businesses that have made a significant contribution towards fostering a welcoming, engaging, and interconnected community.

Winner: Jodie Robinson - Individual

Jodie Robinson, a dedicated Brimbank community member, founded the Keilor Village Night Market in December 2021 following COVID-19 lockdowns. She aimed to reconnect the community while supporting local small businesses that had lost income. 

The market not only created new opportunities for traders but also encouraged community engagement. Jodie introduced a gold coin donation at each event, raising over $13,000 for various charities. After major bushfires in Victoria, she and her friend Lisa Mayoh organized community donations, assembling and delivering over 330 care packages to fire-affected residents and volunteers in Seymour and Longwood.

Environment or Sustainability Award: 

This award category acknowledges and celebrates remarkable projects, events, groups, or businesses that have motivated residents to actively contribute to, and preserve our environment for the benefit of future generations.

Winner: Jessica Gerger - Individual

Jessica is a passionate environmentalist with a deep connection to nature. Over the last decade she has led, guided and inspired the Friends of Kororoit Creek, an active group of volunteers aiming to improve the health of Kororoit Creek and its surrounds in the City of Brimbank. 

Following early successes with revegetation projects, Jessica is driven to enhance the habitat corridor along Kororoit Creek and believes that connecting people with the natural environment is key to promoting mental health and well-being.

Sports and Wellbeing Award: 

This award celebrates those who have made significant contributions to enhancing physical activity, mental health and overall wellbeing in our community. Whether they’re championing for youth sports, organising fitness programs or advocating for inclusive recreational opportunities, we want to recognise their positive impact.

Winner: Sunshine United Cricket Club (Girls Program)

The Sunshine United Cricket Club is a proud, all-inclusive community club with a long, successful history. Formally becoming a club and joining the Sunshine Cricket Association in 1948, it continues to be a hub for community engagement in Brimbank. 

In 2024 it officially launched its first-ever dedicated girls' cricket program. The true impact of the girls' cricket initiative extends far beyond the field; it has sparked a profound cultural shift within the entire Sunshine United Cricket Club community, sending a powerful message about gender equity and inclusivity.

Community Group of the Year: 

This award is for a remarkable community group that has demonstrated outstanding dedication and service, leaving a positive impact on the lives of residents in Brimbank. This could be through organising events, providing essential services or championing initiatives that have brought community together.

Winner: Filipino Community Council of Victoria Incorporated

The Filipino Community Council of Victoria, Inc. is a dynamic community organisation and ethno-specific aged care provider, proudly serving the Filipino Australian community and the wider multicultural society in Victoria. Since its founding in 1988 as a refuge for Filipino migrants, the organisation has grown from a social support group into a multifaceted association addressing the real challenges faced by the community. 

From combating social isolation and supporting seniors through aged care services, to running regional outreach programs, community pantries, Aboriginal cultural awareness trainings, and international student mentorship, they are committed to empowering multicultural communities across generations. Through passionate advocacy and community-led programs, it continues to champion inclusion, opportunity, and wellbeing for all.

Mayoral Appreciation Award: 

The Mayoral Appreciation Award is a special commendation bestowed upon one We Are Brimbank Award nominee, hand-picked by the Mayor of Brimbank, to be recognised for their outstanding contribution to the city and community. 

Winner: Jane Pallot – Paradise for Kids Kitchen

Jane Pallot’s journey is a powerful testament to compassion in action. Alongside her husband David, she has turned a simple idea into a lifeline for many, running a council-approved kitchen that feeds the homeless and hungry every Tuesday night at a local park. What began with just 5 kilograms of meat has grown into an operation serving over a hundred meals weekly, supported by volunteers and generous contributions from local businesses and the community.

As the Paradise for Kids kitchen continues to expand, Jane remains humbly driven by faith, and continues to grow and expand feeding the needy.

More information

Contact our Civic Events team via email on CivicEvents@brimbank.vic.gov.au for more information.