Victoria’s public sector celebrates innovation, inspiration and impact: IPAA Victoria’s Leadership in the Public Sector Awards 2022 winners

Victoria’s public sector celebrates innovation, inspiration and impact: IPAA Victoria’s Leadership in the Public Sector Awards 2022 winners

IPAA Victoria has recognised exceptional public sector leadership and celebrated the wide breadth of work delivered by outstanding teams and organisations at the highly anticipated Leadership in the Public Sector Awards ceremony dinner at Zinc at Federation Square on Thursday 22 June 2023.

As one of the highest honours bestowed in the public sector, this year’s winners represent a broad cross-section of work delivered by all levels of government and were selected from a competitive pool of shortlisted projects and initiatives. Each winner was deliberated by panels of experienced judges comprising many public sector leaders and experts.

‘The Leadership in the Public Sector Awards champion the diverse, often unseen work of the public sector showcasing dedication, innovation and a commitment to serving the Victorian community,’ said Jennifer Wolcott, Chair, Awards Advisory Committee and Board Member, IPAA Victoria.

‘A huge congratulations to this years’ winners. Each project and initiative demonstrated a real and tangible benefit for the public sector and the Victorian community. The celebration doesn’t end now – in the coming weeks we will continue to shine a light on the exceptional range of work that has been delivered,’ says Nina Cullen, CEO, IPAA Victoria.

Among the winners included are teams of highly skilled and dedicated experts in their respective fields ranging from areas of strategic communications, citizen-centric policymaking to address long-term and complex problems, regulatory development, climate change action, emergency management and advancing Aboriginal self-determination.

‘A huge congratulations to this years’ winners. Each project and initiative demonstrated a real and tangible benefit for the public sector and the Victorian community’

— Nina Cullen, CEO, IPAA Victoria

Leadership in the Public Sector Awards 2022 winners

Among the winners included are teams of highly skilled and dedicated experts in their respective fields ranging from areas of strategic communications, citizen-centric policymaking to address long-term and complex problems, regulatory development, climate change action, emergency management and advancing Aboriginal self-determination.

The recipient of the Communications and Engagement Excellence Award is the Aboriginal and CALD Engagement Team – Small Business Victoria, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions. This initiative involved the team working collaboratively with partners to deliver bespoke, innovative engagement activities to more than 45 multicultural business cohorts across 18 LGAs.

The power of partnership is evidenced in the Goulburn to Murray Rivers Trade and Operating Review, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action program, which was delivered in collaboration with river operators, Traditional Owners, waterway managers and scientists, which resulted in the establishment of long-term river operating and trade rules, and a monitoring program. This program was awarded the Evidence-Based Policy Award.

The MCV Service Centre, Magistrates’ Court of Victoria was the recipient of the Citizen-Centred Service Design Award, which was a whole-of-organisation digital and service transformation program designed to modernise how public services across the state.

The work of the Combating Scams Teams, Australian Communications and Media Authority was recognised in the Better Outcomes Through Regulation Award for their targeted regulatory interventions that respond to the evolving sophistication and agility of scammers, which has stopped over a billion scam calls and over a hundred million scam SMS from reaching Australians.

Cenitex was named the Leading Employer through their employee experience uplift project, which put customers and employees first through a better use of technology across recruitment and onboarding, talent mapping and succession planning, resulting in success across engagement, cost savings, time efficiencies, improved customer experience and positive engagement feedback.

The Independent probity assurance of government agency land transactions – Land Use Victoria, was the recipient of the Governance and Integrity Award for the significant policy and operating updates to the Victorian Government Land Transactions Policy.

The Geelong Regional Climate Adaptation Partnership, Barwon Water was awarded the Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Award and incorporates several partners that have collaborated to address climate change issues in the region through three key initiatives.

Caring for Customers in Extreme Events: Coliban Water’s 2022 Flood Response, Coliban Water was the recipient of the Emergency Management Award and recognised the preparation, response and recovery across its service region, with a particular focus on customer and community support and resilience.

The Transport Portfolio Aboriginal Self-Determination Plan 2020–23, Department of Transport and Planning was awarded the Implementing Aboriginal Self-Determination Award commending the landmark whole-of-portfolio approach to advance Aboriginal self-determination.

For the first time, IPAA Victoria launched a People’s Choice Award which enabled individuals in the sector to commend work conducted by the people for the people. The winner was the Transforming inclusion for the Victorian Public Sector, Victorian Public Sector (VPS) Women of Colour Network (WoCN), which was established in January 2019 by a group of passionate leading women to create a safe and inclusive space for VPS WoCN.

IPAA Victoria would like to thank its event partners for their continued support in this year’s Leadership Awards, including the Victorian Public Sector Commission as the overall event partner.

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