1About the Awards

The Local Tree Business Awards 2026 ("Awards") are intended to recognise and celebrate outstanding local businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals, organisations and initiatives that demonstrate excellence, contribution, innovation, growth, service, community impact or other achievements within their relevant category.

The Awards will be conducted digitally, including through online nomination, evaluation, communication, promotion and/or award presentation, as determined by the Organiser.

The Organiser reserves the right to amend the format, programme, categories, dates, processes or other aspects of the Awards where reasonably necessary.

2Eligibility

Participation is open to eligible businesses, organisations, professionals and/or individuals meeting the requirements of the relevant Award category.

Unless otherwise specified:

• The nominee must have a genuine connection with the local business community or geographical area covered by the Awards.
• The nominee must operate or have operated legitimately during the relevant eligibility period.
• A nominee must satisfy any specific requirements stated for the relevant category.
• The Organiser may request supporting information to verify eligibility.

The Organiser may reject or remove a nomination where the nominee does not meet the eligibility requirements.

3Nomination Process

Nominations may be submitted by:

• The business or individual themselves;
• An owner, director, employee or authorised representative;
• A customer, client, colleague, partner or member of the public; or
• Any other person permitted by the Organiser.

The Organiser may limit the number of nominations submitted by a person or organisation.

A nomination must contain accurate, complete and relevant information.

The Organiser reserves the right to contact nominees for clarification, additional information, evidence or verification.

Submitting a nomination does not guarantee finalist status, selection or an award.

4Nomination Information & Evidence

The information submitted as part of a nomination must be truthful and not misleading.

Nominees may be asked to provide supporting material such as:

• Business information;
• Company or professional profiles;
• Customer or client feedback;
• Achievements and milestones;
• Supporting documents;
• Photographs, videos or other media;
• Website or social media links; and/or
• Other evidence relevant to the category.

The Organiser may verify information using publicly available sources or information provided by the nominee.

False, misleading, fraudulent, plagiarised or materially inaccurate information may result in disqualification.

5Nomination Deadlines

All nominations must be submitted by the deadline specified by the Organiser.

The Organiser reserves the right to:

• Extend or shorten nomination periods;
• Reopen nominations;
• Introduce additional categories;
• Close individual categories early; or
• Change relevant dates where reasonably necessary.

Any material changes will be communicated through the Awards' official communication channels.

6Categories

The Organiser reserves the right to create, modify, merge, split, rename or withdraw categories where necessary.

The Organiser may move a nomination to another category where it considers that category more appropriate, subject to communicating the change where reasonably practicable.

The Organiser's decision regarding category eligibility will be final.

7Judging & Evaluation

Nominations may be evaluated by an appointed judging panel and/or through another evaluation method determined by the Organiser.

Evaluation may consider factors including, but not limited to:

• Business performance and growth;
• Quality and customer service;
• Innovation;
• Community contribution;
• Reputation;
• Leadership;
• Sustainability;
• Professional excellence;
• Customer/client experience;
• Supporting evidence; and
• Overall impact and suitability for the relevant category.

The precise criteria and weighting may vary by category.

The Organiser may appoint independent judges, industry professionals, advisers or other appropriate individuals to participate in the evaluation process.

8Judges & Conflicts of Interest

Judges may be required to declare actual or potential conflicts of interest.

Where appropriate, a judge may be excluded from evaluating a particular nominee or category.

The Organiser may replace or change members of the judging panel at any stage.

Details of individual judges may be communicated publicly or may remain confidential at the Organiser's discretion.

9Voting

Where a category includes public voting, the Organiser will communicate the applicable voting process separately.

The Organiser reserves the right to:

• Set voting eligibility requirements;
• Limit votes per person or account;
• Reject suspicious, automated, duplicate or manipulated votes;
• Investigate unusual voting activity; and
• Disqualify nominees or votes where abuse or manipulation is identified.

The Organiser's decision regarding the validity of votes will be final.

Where public voting is used, voting may form all or part of the overall evaluation process, as communicated for the relevant category.

10Finalists & Winners

The Organiser may announce shortlisted nominees, finalists, winners and/or highly commended participants through its official channels.

Selection as a finalist does not guarantee an award.

Awards will be granted based on the applicable evaluation and/or voting process.

The Organiser reserves the right not to declare a winner in a category where it considers that no nomination meets the required standard.

The decision of the Organiser and/or judging panel is final, subject to applicable law.

No correspondence will normally be entered into regarding judging decisions.

11Award Announcement & Digital Presentation

The Awards are scheduled to take place digitally on 26 November 2026.

The Organiser may announce winners through an online ceremony, digital presentation, website, social media, email, video content or other digital channels.

The format may be changed by the Organiser where reasonably necessary.

Finalists and winners may be required to provide accurate logos, photographs, biographies, business descriptions or other information for presentation purposes.

12Winner & Finalist Claims

Participants must not make false or misleading claims regarding their status.

A participant may only describe itself as:

• "Nominee" while validly nominated;
• "Finalist" after official finalist confirmation;
• "Winner" or "Award Winner" after official announcement; or
• "Highly Commended" where formally awarded that status.

Unauthorised or misleading use of the Awards' name, logo or winner status may result in withdrawal of recognition and/or other appropriate action.

13Sponsorship Opportunities

The Awards may offer sponsorship opportunities including:

• Platinum Sponsor
• Gold Sponsor
• Silver Sponsor
• Bronze Sponsor
• Media Sponsor

The Organiser may introduce additional sponsorship categories or modify available categories.

Details, deliverables, benefits and commercial terms for each sponsorship category will be communicated separately in the applicable sponsorship proposal, confirmation document, invoice or agreement.

14Sponsorship Interest Form

Submitting a Sponsorship Interest Form constitutes an expression of interest only and does not constitute confirmation or acceptance of sponsorship.

The Organiser may assess applications based on factors including:

• Brand and business suitability;
• Category fit;
• Availability;
• Strategic relevance;
• Reputation;
• Potential contribution to the Awards;
• Sponsorship requirements; and
• Other factors considered appropriate by the Organiser.

The Organiser reserves the right to accept, decline or place on hold any sponsorship interest without being required to provide detailed reasons.

Submission of an interest form does not guarantee sponsorship.

15Sponsorship Confirmation

A sponsorship will only be considered confirmed once the Organiser has issued written confirmation and the applicable commercial terms have been accepted.

Specific sponsor benefits will be subject to the applicable sponsorship package and written agreement.

Where there is any conflict between these general Terms and a signed sponsorship agreement, the signed sponsorship agreement will take precedence to the extent of that conflict.

16Sponsorship Fees & Payment

Where sponsorship involves a fee, the applicable fee, payment schedule and payment terms will be specified in the relevant sponsorship proposal, invoice or agreement.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• Sponsorship benefits are subject to receipt of the applicable payment by the due date.
• Failure to make payment by the applicable deadline may result in suspension or withdrawal of sponsorship benefits.
• The Organiser may reallocate sponsorship opportunities where payment is not received within the agreed period.
• Any applicable taxes, bank charges or transaction costs will be the responsibility of the sponsor unless otherwise agreed.

17Sponsorship Benefits

Sponsor benefits may include, depending on the selected category:

• Logo and brand visibility;
• Recognition in digital communications;
• Social media recognition;
• Event-related promotional exposure;
• Networking opportunities;
• Brand association with the Awards;
• Digital content opportunities;
• Speaking, presentation or engagement opportunities where applicable;
• Access to selected promotional or networking opportunities; and
• Other benefits stated in the relevant sponsorship package.

No benefit will be considered guaranteed unless expressly included in the applicable written sponsorship agreement.

18Sponsor Brand Materials

Sponsors are responsible for supplying accurate and suitable brand assets by the deadlines communicated by the Organiser.

Materials may include logos, brand descriptions, images, videos, website links and other promotional content.

The Organiser reserves the right to reject material that is:

• Illegal;
• Offensive;
• Misleading;
• Infringing;
• Inappropriate for the Awards; or
• Inconsistent with the Awards' standards or brand positioning.

Where possible, the Organiser may request replacement material.

19Use of Nominee & Sponsor Information

By participating, nominees and sponsors agree that the Organiser may use submitted business names, category information, descriptions, logos and approved promotional materials for legitimate Awards-related purposes, including:

• Website publication;
• Social media;
• Digital marketing;
• Email communications;
• Online awards presentations;
• Press and publicity;
• Promotional materials; and
• Post-event communications.

The Organiser will not intentionally misrepresent the nature of the participant's involvement.

20Photographs, Videos & Recordings

By participating in the Awards, nominees, finalists, winners and sponsors may be featured in photographs, videos, recordings, interviews, promotional content or digital event material associated with the Awards.

The Organiser may use such content for current and future Awards-related promotional purposes, subject to applicable law.

21Intellectual Property

The Awards name, branding, logos, designs, website content, promotional materials and other original content created by or on behalf of the Organiser remain the property of the Organiser or its respective licensors, unless otherwise stated.

Participants may use Awards-related branding solely for legitimate promotional purposes and in accordance with any brand-use guidelines provided by the Organiser.

Participants must not alter, reproduce, sell, license or commercially exploit Awards intellectual property without prior written permission.

22Participant-Submitted Content

By submitting content, the participant confirms that:

• They have the necessary rights and permissions to submit the content;
• The content does not knowingly infringe any third-party intellectual property rights;
• The content is not unlawful, defamatory, deceptive or fraudulent; and
• The Organiser's use of the content for Awards-related purposes will not knowingly breach any third-party rights.

The participant remains responsible for the content they submit.

23Disqualification

The Organiser may disqualify or remove a participant, nomination, finalist or sponsor where it reasonably believes that the participant:

• Has provided false or misleading information;
• Has attempted to manipulate voting or judging;
• Has engaged in fraudulent or unethical conduct relating to the Awards;
• Has breached these Terms;
• Has infringed the rights of another person or organisation;
• Has engaged in conduct likely to damage the reputation of the Awards; or
• Has otherwise acted in a manner inconsistent with the purpose or integrity of the Awards.

Where appropriate, previously awarded recognition may also be withdrawn.

24Changes, Postponement or Cancellation

The Organiser reserves the right to modify, postpone, suspend or cancel the Awards or any element of the Awards where reasonably necessary, including due to technical issues, operational circumstances, force majeure, regulatory requirements, safety concerns or other circumstances beyond the Organiser's reasonable control.

The Organiser will make reasonable efforts to communicate material changes through its official channels.

25Sponsorship Cancellation & Refunds

Any cancellation, refund or transfer of sponsorship will be subject to the specific sponsorship agreement.

Where no separate cancellation terms have been agreed, the Organiser will determine the applicable treatment based on the circumstances and applicable law.

No refund will be implied solely because a sponsor's preferred category, nominee or promotional opportunity changes unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing.

26No Guarantee of Commercial Results

Participation or sponsorship does not guarantee:

• Leads;
• Sales;
• Business opportunities;
• Media coverage;
• Social media reach;
• Customer acquisition;
• Return on investment; or
• Any particular commercial outcome.

The Organiser will make reasonable efforts to deliver confirmed benefits but cannot guarantee third-party engagement or commercial results.

27Data Protection & Privacy

Personal information submitted in connection with the Awards may be collected, stored and processed for purposes including:

• Managing nominations;
• Managing sponsorship enquiries;
• Communicating with participants;
• Evaluating nominations;
• Conducting the Awards;
• Providing event information;
• Publicising finalists and winners;
• Delivering sponsor benefits; and
• Complying with legal or regulatory obligations.

Personal information will be handled in accordance with the Organiser's applicable Privacy Policy and relevant data-protection laws.

28Confidentiality

The Organiser will use reasonable efforts to handle non-public information appropriately.

However, participants should not submit confidential, commercially sensitive or proprietary information unless specifically requested or necessary for the nomination or sponsorship process.

Participants acknowledge that certain nomination details may be shared with judges, advisers, event partners or service providers where reasonably required to administer the Awards.

29Third-Party Services & Digital Platforms

The Awards may use third-party platforms for registration, forms, payment processing, video conferencing, streaming, voting, email distribution, social media and other digital services.

The Organiser is not responsible for interruptions, outages or failures caused by third-party platforms beyond its reasonable control.

Participants are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate internet access and compatible devices where participation requires them.

30Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Organiser will not be responsible for indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss arising from participation in the Awards.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Participants are responsible for ensuring that their own activities, claims, content and submissions comply with applicable laws and third-party rights.

31Indemnity

To the extent permitted by applicable law, a participant agrees to indemnify the Organiser against losses, claims, liabilities, costs or expenses arising directly from the participant's:

• Breach of these Terms;
• Unlawful or fraudulent conduct;
• Infringement of third-party rights; or
• Submission or use of content for which the participant did not have the necessary rights or permissions.

32No Employment, Agency or Partnership

Participation as a nominee or sponsor does not create an employment, agency, joint venture, partnership or other formal relationship between the participant and the Organiser unless expressly agreed in writing.

33Official Communication

Official Awards communications will be issued through the Organiser's designated email address, website and/or verified social media channels.

Participants are responsible for providing accurate contact information and monitoring communications relevant to their participation.

The Organiser is not responsible for missed communications caused by incorrect contact information, email filtering or failure to monitor the relevant communication channels.

34Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Australia.

Any dispute arising from or relating to the Awards or these Terms shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of Victoria, Australia unless otherwise required by applicable law.

35Amendments to These Terms

The Organiser may update these Terms from time to time to reflect operational, legal or event-related changes.

The latest version will be made available through award.localtee.com.au or another official Awards communication channel.

Continued participation after an updated version is published may constitute acceptance of the updated Terms, subject to applicable law.

36Severability

If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

37Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with any applicable nomination rules, sponsorship proposal, sponsorship agreement, Privacy Policy and other officially communicated Awards-specific rules, constitute the framework governing participation in the Local Tree Business Awards 2026.

Where a written sponsorship agreement contains terms specifically applicable to that sponsorship, those specific terms will prevail over these general Terms to the extent of any inconsistency.

38Disclaimer

These Terms & Conditions are subject to change, amendment or modification at any time to ensure compliance with applicable local laws, regulations and requirements, and at the discretion of the LocalTree Awards organising team. Any updates will be published as deemed appropriate by the organising team. Participants are advised to review the Terms & Conditions periodically for any changes.

39Acceptance

By submitting a nomination, sponsorship interest form, sponsorship confirmation, registration or other participation form, the participant confirms that:

"I have read, understood and agree to the Terms & Conditions of the Local Tree Business Awards 2026."