2002 Premier's Public Sector Awards

The six categories of the Premier's Public Sector Awards in 2002 attracted 80 very worthy nominations, resulting in 24 awards and commendations being presented.

The awards recognise excellence and commitment to quality in the New South Wales public sector.

According to the Premier, Bob Carr, the awards show a public sector that is drawing on world's best practice and, in many cases, creating world's best practice.

Improving the economy or the environment

For a sustained contribution to improving the economy or the environment, awards were made to:

• NSW Fire Brigades and NSW Environment Protection Authority (Gold) for Partnership in protecting the environment
• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (Silver) for Biodiversity planning guide for NSW local government
• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (Bronze) for Conservation and recovery of Gould's Petrel
• NSW Fire Brigades (Commendation) for Ecopod: East Maitland Fire Station

Services to regional/rural New South Wales

For achievements that improve service design and/or delivery and equity through better access for customers and innovative approaches to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of services to regional/rural New South Wales, awards were made to:

• NSW Department of Public Works and Services and Far West Area Health Service (Gold) for Wilcannia Health Centre
• Department of Information Technology and Management (Silver) for CTC@NSW, bringing online services to regional/rural NSW
• Country Energy (Bronze) for 2001/02 Apprentice program: good for business, great for the bush
  TAFE NSW Riverina Institute (Commendation) for Griffith link day program

Best practice in eGovernment

For best practice in the use of information communications technology (ICT) to improve the delivery of government services, Best practice in eGovernment awards were made to:

• Department of Information Technology and Management (Gold) for Service NSW
• NSW Department of Public Works and Services (Silver) Asset.gov
• NSW Department of Public Works and Services (Bronze) for Jobs.nsw

Service Delivery

For achievements in identified and measurable business improvements and show whole of government work by an agency or group of agencies, Service Delivery awards were made to:

• NSW Department of Education and Training, NSW Institute of Sport, NSW Premier's Department, NSW Health, NSW Department of Sport and Recreation (Gold) for Gold medal fitness program and
• Western Sydney Area Health Service/Division of Analytical Laboratories (Gold) for Forensic DNA profiling: convicting criminals, freeing the innocent
  NSW Department of Sport and Recreation (Silver) for It's your business
• Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW (Bronze) for Driving customer focus
• WorkCover (Commendation) for CouncilSafe

Best Practice in business and Management

For measurable improvements in business and management, in which initiatives demonstrate core business done well and/or partnering models between two or more agencies, Best Practice in business and management awards were made to:

• Sydney Catchment Authority and Sydney Water Corporation (Gold) for ResMan: a new system of reservoir management and
• NSW Department of Public Works and Services and Hunter Area Health Service (Gold) for Hunter Area Health Service energy management program

Social Justice and Workforce Diversity

Addressing issues such as employment equity, social justice, prevention strategies, direct services to disadvantaged groups and areas, or promotion of cultural diversity, Social Justice awards were made to:

• NSW Premier's Department, Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW, NSW Department of Education and Training, NSW Department of Community Services, NSW Department of Sport and Recreation (Gold) for Youth partnership with Arabic speaking communities
• Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney and Department of Housing (Silver) for Community greening
• NSW Department of Community Services (Bronze) for Give IT a go

Workforce Diversity awards were made to:

• Ambulance Service NSW (Gold) for increasing the diversity of the operational workforce
• NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation (Silver) for Natural resource cadetship program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Illawarra and western Sydney
• NSW Aboriginal Housing Office (Bronze) for Aboriginal participation in construction