Premier’s Awards for Public Sector Excellence
Two EPA programs were in the running for the Premier’s Awards for Public Sector Excellence, announced on Wednesday, 22 November.
The category-winning NONE team with Premier Peter
Beattie. Photo courtesy of Department of the Premier
and Cabinet. I am delighted to tell you that not only did we win one category of the ten in which we entered, and were highly commended in another, the Agency itself took the top award, the inaugural Premier’s Award recognising the Government’s agency of the year.
This is a wonderful recognition of all of us, a diverse group of people applying our skills and dedication to protecting Queensland’s environment.
The award citation was as follows: “The inaugural Premier’s Award for Excellence recognises an agency that demonstrates outstanding achievement and significant commitment to implement and deliver innovative solutions across a range of areas.”
The overall win was based upon category submissions across eleven areas of our work. The EPA nominated the Green Heritage program, the Sustainable Industries Awards, the National Packaging Covenant, Habitat-Habitus – Art in the Environment, Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation funding, State Coastal Plan, sinking the ex-HMAS Brisbane, the National Action Plan Water Quality Program, Sustainable Homes, the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Larry, and our NONE workplace health and safety program. Some entries were prepared in partnership with other departments.
The Green Heritage team, runners up in their
category. Photo courtesy of Department of the
Premier and Cabinet.EPA Marketing led and coordinated the Agency’s nominations, editing and designing the submissions in close collaboration responsible divisions. The judges commented upon the clarity and quality of the entries, which is a pat on the back for our hard-working Marketing team.
In the category of Focussing on Our People, our innovative NONE program came out on top. With so many EPA staff now actively supporting NONE’s objectives and strategies, we have, through the award’s profile, an opportunity to show other departments how to deliver better workplace support.
Our Green Heritage program, which will see hundreds of thousands of hectares of state forest transferred to protected area status, was highly commended in the Sustainable Environment award, a great result for another hard-working team.
Thank you to all staff who make this agency such a strong contributor to government programs and services. It was great to be recognised by the Premier, and to have our many accomplishments better understood throughout the Queensland Government.
Terry Wall
Director-General
The EPA finalists, including Director-General Terry Wall, and former
Director-General James Purtill, after receiving the overall Premiers Award
for Excellence. Photo courtesy of Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
Last updated: 01 December 2006
