Minister’s Planning Awards

We are committed to shaping Queensland’s future — and that means investing in tomorrow’s planners by giving them an opportunity to put their skills, knowledge, and ideas to practice in real-life scenarios.

The Minister’s Planning Awards give planning students the opportunity to demonstrate innovative and practical approaches to real-world planning challenges — with winners receiving not only an award, but a paid internship.

Categories

The 2026 categories for the Minister’s Planning Awards include:

  • The Innovative Regional Planning Solution Award invites students to come up with an innovate idea or approach to specifically address a contemporary planning challenge faced in a regional, rural or remote setting outside South East Queensland (SEQ).

    University students are invited to devise (individually) a solution to address a regionally based planning problem or challenge of their choosing. Their submissions will outline the planning issue and their proposed solution.

    Up to three submissions will then be shortlisted and invited to give a 10-minute presentation to summarise the problem and proposed solution to a judging panel of Planning Group executive officers, including the State Planner, who will decide the winner, as well as one highly commended submission.

    The Awards are open to all students from eligible universities if they meet the criteria. Entry is via self-nomination.

  • With a focus on SEQ, the Innovative South East Queensland Planning Solution Award invites students to come up with an innovate idea or approach to specifically address a contemporary planning challenge faced in SEQ.

    University students are invited to devise (individually) a solution to address a SEQ-based planning problem or challenge of their choosing. Their submissions will outline the planning issue and their proposed solution.

    Up to three submissions would then be shortlisted and invited to give a 10-minute presentation to summarise the problem and proposed solution to a judging panel of Planning Group executive officers, including the State Planner, who will decide the winner, as well as one highly commended submissions.

    The Awards are open to all students from eligible universities if they meet the criteria. Entry is via self-nomination.

  • The Young Trailblazer in Planning Award will be presented to one university undergraduate (second, third or fourth year) recognised as being a student who has demonstrated exceptional promise, vision and creativity in the field of planning.

    Eligible universities are invited to nominate a student through a written submission of up to 750 words. Up to three nominations may be shortlisted for consideration by a judging panel of Planning Group executive officers, who will decide the winner and one highly commended recipient.

    This award is intended to acknowledge a young professional not only for their professional achievements but also their potential to shape the future of planning, while recognising their contribution to the profession and encouraging greater engagement with planning in Queensland.

    Entry is via eligible university nomination only.

Frequently asked questions

  • Submissions close at 5 pm on Friday 25 September 2026.

  • Visit the Apply now page to submit your application online.

  • Prizes include a four-week paid internship with Queensland's Planning Group, within the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, providing a valuable opportunity to apply your studies in a real-life context and understand Queensland's planning framework.

    The internships give you an opportunity to see first-hand how Queensland’s planning framework drives economic growth and delivers well-planned, sustainable and resilient communities. There is a variety of work to be involved in including regional and state planning, development assessment, statutory planning, and policy development.

  • If you are unable to upload your submission via the online form please email  learn-planning@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au to discuss other arrangements.

  • The Minister's Planning Awards will be presented at the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Queensland Awards for Planning Excellence on Tuesday 13 November 2026.

  • The Innovative Regional Queensland Planning Solution Award and Innovative South East Queensland Planning Solution Award are open to undergraduate, postgraduate and master’s planning students. The Young Trailblazer in Planning Award is open to undergraduate students in their second, third or fourth year.

  • Yes, international students who are attending an eligible university and have an appropriate visa that entitles them to work in Australia, can apply for the Minister's Planning Awards.

Contact us

For more information, please email learn-planning@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au.

Last updated: 27 Aug 2026