MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 27 June, 2014

WA Public Service Awards Celebrate Outstanding Achievement

Choir group A Cappella West kicked off celebrations today in an uplifting performance in recognition of WA’s public service at the 2014 Western Australia Institute of Public Administration (IPAA WA) Achievement Awards hosted at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Perth.

The Awards are the only program in WA to recognise both individual and organisational excellence across all three tiers of government, the not-for-profit and academia sectors.

Institute President and Awards Co-Chair, Ms Sue McCarrey hosted the presentations and said the awards give valuable recognition to the WA public sector.

“I would like to congratulate all those who were shortlisted and especially to the winners who demonstrated outstanding achievement across their organisations and various projects.”

“We had an overwhelming response to the two collaboration awards and a number of high calibre nominees. A special mention to the City of Melville who received three awards; Best Practice in Corporate Social Responsibility for ‘Project Robin Hood’; Best Practice in Health and Wellbeing for ‘Lifewise Resources Project’; and Local Government Leader of the Year award, presented to Chief Executive of the City of Melville, Dr Shayne Silcox,” Ms McCarrey said.

The Achievement Awards offer seven categories for entry with a total of fifteen awards. Nine open to individuals and five best practice awards for organisations.

“This year we introduced a new award for leader of the year working within a division, team or organisation to accommodate the various levels of public service leaders,” Ms McCarrey said.

Mr Richard Sellers, Director General Department of Mines and Petroleum was awarded the IPAA WA Patron’s Award - the highest accolade in public administration in WA - awarded for significant contribution to the State and the sector.

Judges commented, “Mr Sellers has made an outstanding contribution to the public sector with a positive legacy for the future. His vision and projects undertaken underpin DMP as an organisation of best practice. He has achieved clear improvements across the agency including increased service efficiencies, transparency and benchmarking. Mr Sellers has achieved a cultural shift in his organisation which has propelled them forward in achieving organisational goals.”

Congratulations to the following 2014 Achievement Award winners:

INDIVIDUIAL AWARDS

IPAA WA Patrons Award
Richard Sellers
Department of Mines and Petroleum

Public Sector Commission Award
Young Leader of the Year
Jamie MacKenzie
VenuesWest

Hays Recruitment Award
Leader of the Year Working within a Division / Team / Organisation
Ruth Charles
Department of Housing

Murdoch University Award
Leader of the Year State or Federal Government
Rod Hughes
Swan River Trust

Hyatt Regency Perth Award
Leader of the Year Not-for-Profit Sector
Irina Cattalini
Western Australian Council of Social Service Inc.

Corruption and Crime Commission Award
Leader of the Year Local Government
Dr Shayne Silcox
City of Melville

Special Commendation to Donald Burnett, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Department of Finance Award
Finance Practitioner of the Year
Karl Matacz
Synergy

Department of Fisheries Award
Policy Practitioner of the Year
Anne-Marie Brits
Department of Transport

Information Technology Practitioner of the Year
Lorenz Schmidt-Simon
Department of Agriculture and Food WA

Human Resource Management Practitioner of the Year 
No winner awarded

ORGANISATION AWARDS

Business News Award
Innovation in the Not-for-Profit Sector
Centrecare Incorporated
One Life WA

Department of Health Award
Best Practice in Health and Wellbeing
City of Melville
Lifewise Resources Project

Award for Best Practice in Collaboration Across Government Agencies in the Same Jurisdiction
Department of Finance
Sustainable Funding and Contracting Reform Initiative

Award for Best Practice in Collaboration Between Government and Non Government Organisations
Department of Housing: The Wunan Foundation; and Community Housing Limited
East Kimberley Development Package (EKDP) Transitional Housing Program

Best Practice in Corporate Social Values
City of Melville
Project Robin Hood

For more information on the award winners and judges comments please click here.

For photos from the day, please click here.

For further information please contact Gavin Lewis on 08 9221 1177.

2014 Achievement Award Winners and Awards host and Judging Co-Chair Ms Sue McCarrey (centre).

IPAA WA Patron's Award winner, Richard Sellers, Director General of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.

Dr Tim Griffin, Acting Director General at the Department of Mines and Petroleum (left) accepted the IPAA WA Patron's Award on behalf of Richard Sellers, Director General of the Department of Mines and Petroleum, presented by IPAA WA President Sue McCarrey (right).

Award winners and judges comments click here.

For photos from the day, please click here.