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The Institute of Public Administration Australia WA’s (IPAA WA) 34th Annual W.S. Lonnie Awards for excellence and accountability in annual reporting was held at the Hyatt Regency Perth on Friday 29th of March 2019.

IPAA WA President Colin Murphy PSM FIPAA welcomed guests including the IPAA WA Vice-Patron, the Hon. Dr Mike Nahan MLA, and John Carey MLA, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier; Member for Perth, representing the IPAA WA Vice-Patron and Premier of WA, the Hon. Mark McGowan MLA.

The Awards attracted CEOs, Directors General and Commissioners from across State government agencies and statutory bodies, all hoping to take out the prestigious W.S. Lonnie Memorial Trophy – awarded to the best annual report for the year.

The primary vehicle for accountability in the Public Sector has been and always will be the way agencies report their performance. The W.S. Lonnie Awards recognise the importance of Annual Reports being accountable and transparent in a succinct and independent way. All State agencies are eligible and are automatically considered as part of the judging process.

W.S. Lonnie Memorial Trophy

Awarded to the best annual report for the year.

WINNER: WA Country Health Service

Judges’ Comments:
In making this award, judges were agreed that the quality of the report was outstanding, especially for a relatively new agency, operating in a very challenging environment. In giving human faces to its clients and its staff, the agency succeeded in communicating the breadth of its operations, its successes and failures, while providing clear links between its clinical governance objectives and actual performance.


Margaret McAleer Special Commendation

The award is presented at the discretion of the panel for an outstanding report that, in some respect, establishes a benchmark to which others should aspire.

WINNER: Commissioner for Children and Young People

Judges’ Comments: 
The CCYP report was judged to merit this award because, despite being a small Agency, it set a very high benchmark for other Agencies to follow. It was well organised, visually engaging, informative and perfectly pitched for its targeted audiences,


Allan Skinner Trophy

Awarded to the best annual report in the General Government Sector.

WINNER: Main Roads Western Australia

Judges Comments: 
This report was judged worthy of the award because it made very effective use of an innovative electronic format and employed appropriate stories to illustrate key aspects of their work while retaining the necessary rigour in reporting key performance targets and processes (e.g.  governance and risk management).


The Margaret Nadebaum Trophy

Awarded to the best annual report in the Government Enterprise Sector.

WINNER: Fremantle Port Authority

Judges Comments: 
As has come to be expected of the FPA, this is an admirably clearly written and organised annual report, which made it very easy to follow and evaluate. Judges particularly noted the comprehensive coverage of complaints handling and performance.

Category 1 – Agencies with < 100 FTEs

Gold Award Winner: Commissioner for Children and Young People

Judges’ Comments: 
Judges were unanimous in their appreciation of the fact that this report was perfectly pitched for its intended audiences, including children. It was focussed, informative and enjoyable to read, concisely highlighting all aspects of the Commissioner’s work.

Silver Award Winner: Tourism WA

Judges’ Comments: 
This report impressed judges with its coherent and easy to navigate layout, enhanced with engaging graphics. Judges also appreciated the inclusion of the welcome to country and the presentation of the Commission’s action plan.

Bronze Award Winner: Small Business Corporation

Judges’ Comments:
The informative case studies and the user friendly links in the report made this report easy to read and navigate.  Judges commented that these qualities meant the extensive information in the report did not overwhelm the reader.


Category 2 – Agencies with 101 – 1,000 FTEs

Gold Award Winner: Department of Treasury

Judges’ Comments: 
This report was notable for its clear delineation of the key issues confronting the Department and the logical structure and transparent links between the strategic plan and the performance reporting. The high quality graphics and good links to external resources were also rated highly by the judges.

Silver Award Winner: WorkCover WA

Judges’ Comments: 
Attention to operational coverage, including snapshots of governance, risk management and performance reporting made this report impressive. The innovative use of checklists was also positively rated by judges.

Bronze Award Winner (Joint): Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

Judges’ Comments: 
A well organised report with quality graphics and easy to navigate links and an innovative use of outcome measures and corresponding services to structure the report.

Bronze Award Winner (Joint): Department of Health

Judges’ Comments: 
Performance was comprehensively detailed, with excellent use of snap shots and a high standard of presentation. The links to other sites and reports was judged helpful.

Special Commendation:

Department of Training and Workforce Development


Category 3 – Agencies with > 1,000 FTEs

Gold Award Winner: Main Roads Western Australia

Judges’ Comments: 
The majority of judges were impressed with the electronic format which allowed for distinct, downloadable PDFs. The integration of the framework, standards and principles in the report was considered outstanding.

Silver Award Winner: WA Country Health Service

Judges’ Comments: 
The focus on patient experiences and the innovative use of video links were both appreciated by judges. This report was informative and unusual in frankly highlighting some of the challenges confronting the agency.

Bronze Award Winner: Public Transport Authority of WA

Judges’ Comments: 
This was a comprehensive and informative report, making good use of breakout boxes and photographs to complement the text.

Special Commendation:

East Metropolitan Health Service


Category 4 Government Trading Enterprises

Gold Award Winner: WA Treasury Corporation

Judges’ Comments: 
In total, this was assessed as an excellent report, with clear and well developed presentation of governance, accountability and performance. It was well designed, easy to follow and especially informative about future challenges.

Silver Award Winner: Pilbara Ports Authority

Judges’ Comments: 
The focus on community consultation and highlights relating to sustainability and heritage were valued by the judges. Good graphics and clearly written text enhanced the presentation.

Silver (Joint Award): Fremantle Port Authority

Judges’ Comments:
Judges commented on the Authority’s well developed approach to reporting, with comprehensive overviews of vision, values, mission and business plan as well as extensive details on complaints handling.

There are eight Specialist Awards  presented on the day.

Office of the Auditor General Award for Transparency and Accountability

WINNER: Department of Treasury

Judges’ Comments:
The Department’s report was noted for the clearly structured and informative connections it established between its strategic plan and its performance indicators in the reporting period.


WorkCover WA and Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety Award for Occupational Safety, Health and Injury Management

WINNER: Kimberley Ports Authority

Judges Comments:
The winner is an agency whose management commitment to safety is clearly outlined in the Chair and Chief Executive Officer Report. The executive report then goes on to detail awards won and to acknowledge the whole team effort. Safety initiatives are then found throughout the report and illustrate the culture of the organisation and the staff’s pride in their safety record.

Special Commendation:

Department of Fire and Emergency Services


State Records Commission Award for Excellence in Compliance Reporting

WINNER: Department of Justice

Judges’ Comments:
The Department’s 2017-18 annual report provides a clearly structured account of the ongoing review of its information management. The Department of Justice’s annual report presents an excellent account of the agency’s work to improve processes and maintain staff skillsets, against a backdrop of major Machinery of Government changes.

Special Commendation:

Main Roads Western Australia


Ombudsman Western Australia Award for Complaints Handling

WINNER: Fremantle Port Authority

Judges’ Comments:
The Authority was one of the few departments and agencies reviewed to detail their complaints handling procedures and the outcomes of those procedures. They are to be commended and recommended as a model others in the public sector.


CPA Australia Award for Performance Reporting

WINNER: Department of Fire and Emergency Services

Judges’ Comments:
Overall an excellent presentation and articulation of performance outcomes and measures. Great use of colours, graphs and pictures. Very easy to read, and very well laid out. Written in plain English and not cluttered with too much unnecessary detail readers are generally not interested in.


Public Sector Commission Award for Good Governance

WINNER: Ombudsman Western Australia

Judges Comments:
The Ombudsman WA’s data and annual report indicate a commitment to high quality reporting of governance-related processes and activities in accordance with the principles of good governance promoted by the Commission. The Ombudsman WA’s report contained a consistent and thorough account of governance practices.

Special Commendation

Metropolitan Cemeteries Board


Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development AE Gaby VC Memorial Award for Achievement of Objectives Reporting

WINNER: Department of Treasury

Judges’ Comments: 
A reader could quickly and easily understand the Department of Treasury’s corporate objectives. These objectives were then referred to throughout the report, helping the reader understand Treasury’s performance against them and what impacted that performance. This was supported by effective symbology.


Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Award for Chief Financial Officer of the Year

WINNER: Phil D’Souza, Main Roads Western Australia

Comments:
Phil was praised for his commitment to Main Roads, its values, guiding principles and objectives to achieve better transport outcomes for the State. His commitment is unquestioned by staff, senior management within Main Roads and across the Portfolio, and his advice and counsel is sought and appreciated by the Main Roads’ Managing Director and the Minister for Transport. As a member of Main Roads Corporate Executive, Phil was also praised for his lead role in the deployment of the Department’s strategic direction ‘Keeping WA Moving’, and has ensured that as an organisation the Department seeks to achieve sustainable strategic and innovative excellence not only from an engineering and technical perspective but importantly from a financial and commercial perspective.

Special Commendation

Mark Reutens, Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority

Thank you to the Sponsors of the Specialist Awards.

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