Industry awards
Port Stephens Council has been recognised for its innovation, excellence and best practice across a range of areas.
As an industry leader, Council has been able to implement award-winning systems and develop employee initiatives to provide an efficient and skilled workforce.
Council has recently been awarded for work in the areas of Risk Management, Workplace Safety and Leadership Excellence as well as being identified as an Employer of Choice.
Council's achievements
2020
- Winner — Local Government NSW Excellence Awards Community Development Services for our expansion and rebrand of Thrive Kids
- Finalist — Local Government NSW Excellence Awards Community Partnerships & Collaboration for Anna Bay 7 Day Makeover
2019
- Winner — 2019 Employer of Choice at Local Government Engineer’s Association’s (LGEA) Awards
- Winner — Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards for our innovative model for prioritising and managing weeds.
- Winner — TAFE NSW Overall Trainee of the Year and Business Administration Trainee of the Year — Kaitlin Smith
- Winner — Nintex Solution Innovation Award for Promapp
- Silver award — 2019 Australasian Reporting Awards for the 2018 to 2019 Annual Report
- Finalist — Local Government NSW Excellence Awards for Capability Framework and extension to Human Resource Information System
- Finalist — Local Government NSW Excellence Awards for Environmental Management System
- Winner — Rural Management Challenge
2018
- Winner - Best strategic/enterprise risk management initiative at the Statewide Risk Management Excellence Awards.
- Second - Australasian Management Challenge National Final.
- Winner - Most Dramatic Business Impact Award at the Cornerstone Converge Conference.
- Winner - Australasian Management Challenge NSW Division.
- Silver award - 2018 Australasian Reporting Awards for the 2016-2017 Annual Report.
- Winner - Council has taken out the award for ‘Best Work Health and Safety Improvement (Large Organisation)’ at the 2018 Hunter Safety Awards for its workplace mental health program.
2017
- Winner - IPWEA NSW Public Works Leader of the Year for staff member John Maretich, Asset Section Manager.
- Silver award - Thou Walla Sunset Retreat in the 'Unique Accommodation' category of the 2017 NSW Tourism Awards
- Silver award - Fingal Bay Holiday Park took out Silver in the 'Caravan & Holiday Parks' category of the 2017 NSW Tourism Awards
- Winner - 2017 NSW Premier's Award for 'Making Housing More Affordable'
- Winner - Excellence in Workplace Health and Safety Culture at the 2017 SafeWork NSW Awards
- Winner - Culture Change Innovation and Excellence award for a 'Large Regional Council' at the first Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Planning Awards
- Finalist - Excellence in Workplace Health and Safety Culture – for big business category of the 2017 SafeWork NSW Awards.
- Finalist - 2017 Tourism Awards ('Unique Accommodation' category) and ('Caravan and Holiday Parks' category) for Thou Walla Sunset Retreat and Fingal Bay Holiday Park
- Finalist - 2017 Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards for its Environmental Management System (EMS)
- Finalist - Employer of Choice (Public Sector & NFP) category of the 2017 Australian HR Awards.
- Winner - NSW Local Government Excellence Awards in the Community Partnerships and Collaboration
- Finalist - 2017 Hunter Safety Awards - Best Work Health and Safety Improvement (Large Organisation)
- Finalist - Excellence in Transfer Stations 2017 - view the PSC Waste Transfer video.
2016
- Finalist - 2016 Local Government Excellence Awards – Excellence in Risk Management
- Winner - Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System in the Public Sector and Not for Profit category in the 2015-2016 year
- Winner - Port Stephens Family Daycare honoured at annual business awards
- Winner - 2016 Employer of the Year Award at the Career Development Association of Australia Awards
- Winner - Operational and Management Effectiveness Award at the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.
- Winner - 2016 NSW Tourism Award for Thou Walla Sunset Retreat
- Finalist - 2016 NSW Tourism Awards (Tourist & Caravan Parks category) for Halifax and Fingal Bay Holiday Parks
2015
- Winner - Workplace Health and Safety Award at the StateCover WHS Excellence Awards
- Highly Commended - Highly Commended in the way that Council recruits and supports apprentices, cadets and trainees at the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards
- Winner - Improving Planning Processes and Practices at the Planning Institute of Australia awards for excellence
- Winner - 2015 SafeWork NSW Award - Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System (Public Sector/Not for Profit)
- Winner - 2015 StateCover WHS Award - Safety Observations Program
- Commendation - 2015 Statewide Risk Management Excellence Awards
- Winner - 2015 Affiliated FM Client Risk Management Scholarship
- Finalist - 2015 Australian HR Awards - Employer of Choice (Public Sector and NFP)
- Finalist - 2015 Australian HR Awards - Best Workplace Flexibility Program
- Winner - 2015 NSW Tourism Award for Halifax Holiday Park
2014
- Finalist - 2015 Australian HR Awards – Best Workplace Flexibility Program
- Finalist - 2014 Australian HR Awards Best Employee Value Proposition
- Winner - 2014 Leadership and Management Excellence – Local Government Professionals Australian NSW
- Finalist - 2014 Local Government NSW Award for Excellence in Human Resources
- Winner - 2014 Government Australian Communications Awards for Best Digital Communication Campaign
- Winner - 2014 Rotary Pride of Workmanship Award Corporate Risk Management Team
- Honourable Mention - 2014 StateCover’s WHS Excellence Awards for development of competency-based training for working near overhead and underground utilities
2013
- Winner - 2013 StateCover Mutual Limited Work Health and Safety Excellence Award
- Winner - 2013 Australian HR Awards Employer of Choice (NFP and Public Sector)
- Finalist - 2013 AHRI Award for Workplace Relations
- Commendation - 2013 StateWide Mutual Risk Management Excellence
2012
- Winner - 2013 StateCover Mutual Limited Work Health and Safety Excellence Award
- Winner - 2013 Australian HR Awards Employer of Choice (NFP and Public Sector)
- Finalist - 2013 AHRI Award for Workplace Relations
- Commendation - 2013 StateWide Mutual Risk Management Excellence
2011
- Finalist - 2011 HR Leader Awards – HR Leader of the Year
- Winner - 2011 Fairfax Employment Marketing Awards 2011
2009
- Winner - 2009 LGMA (NSW) - Leadership & Management Excellence – Rural Councils
- Finalist - 2009 Fairfax Employment Marketing Awards
- Winner - 2009 Diversity and Inclusion Champion - Employment and Inclusion of Mature Age Workers
