An award-winning agency
In the last 12 months, many of the Department’s initiatives have been independently acknowledged for their excellence, innovation and leadership.
These awards represent a significant achievement for staff and importantly, reassurance for the community that the Department is delivering the best possible programs to improve lives across the state.
More accountable school bus contracts
In 2003, a project that significantly improved the contract management of school bus services by bringing it into the digital age won a prestigious Premier’s Award for Excellence in the category of Management Improvement and Governance.
The initiative involved replacing the inaccurate, expensive, labour intensive and unreliable collection of outdated bus route descriptions and hand-drawn maps with a state-of-the-art electronic system, measured accurately and easily updated.
Now, all 800 school bus contracts in Western Australia, serving some 25,000 children and their families, can be managed more effectively. Taxpayers know precisely what their dollars are paying for and contractors are able to tender more accurately for routes.
Improved coastal planning
Our coastal planning project, managed on behalf of the Western Australian Planning Commission, is unique in Australia. It was a joint winner in the category of Environmental Planning or Conservation in the 2003 Planning Institute of Australia Awards.
The initiative establishes partnerships with local governments along the state’s coastline. Officers in the Department work alongside resource-stretched regional councils, taking responsibility for work that crosses individual local government boundaries, and bringing a statewide view to coastal issues.
It also offers grants to enable regional and remote councils - which may not have a planner on staff - to undertake important longer term planning projects.
Walking School Bus wins national praise
One of the Department’s Walking School Bus success stories was the Western Australian winner in the category of ‘State Project by a Community Organisation’ in the National Heart Foundation’s Kellogg Local Government Awards.
The initiative was commended by the judges for its success in addressing children’s fitness and helping to reduce cars around schools, and for its partnership approach involving the school, the wider community and the Department’s TravelSmart team.
Walking School Bus involves at least two adult volunteers who walk from home to school along an agreed route, with students joining the ‘bus’ along the way - then home again in the afternoon.
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Read more about School Bus Services under People and communities
Grants to improve our coast
The Coastwest Grants Program was awarded a Special Commendation for Environmental Planning or Conservation at the 2003 Planning Institute of Australia Awards.
The initiative, which is funded by the Western Australian Planning Commission, provides much-needed funds for local community groups to conduct their own conservation and rehabilitation projects.
Since 1995, Coastwest and its predecessor Coastcare, have enabled more than 20,000 hours of community volunteer work on initiatives such as restoring wetlands and dunes in hundreds of projects along the state’s coast.
The program was also a finalist in the Sustainable Environment Category in the 2003 Premier’s Awards for Excellence.
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Read more about Coastwest Grants Program under The environment
Dialogue with the city wins international recognition
Our community consultation has achieved international recognition as a groundbreaking initiative to change the way that the views of our citizens are harnessed.
The principles laid out at Dialogue with the city to drive improvements to our city have ensured Western Australia is a finalist in the annual Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management Awards.
The Department is one of 10 finalists out of 154 entries from the 72 countries represented by the association. The world-wide finals will be held in October 2004 in Singapore.
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Read more about Dialogue with the city on the following pages:
Queen’s Birthday honour
A long-serving member of our maritime team was awarded one of the state’s most prestigious public service awards in the Queen’s Birthday honours in June 2004. Principal Policy Advisor John Morris received the Public Service Medal for his outstanding work with the state’s port authorities.
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