Nine ANZSOG alumni have been recognised for their contribution to the community and commitment to excellence in the 2022 Australia Day Honours Awards. These include awards as part the COVID Honour roll for efforts in designing and implementing Australia’s successful response to COVID-19.
ANZSOG Dean and CEO Professor Ken Smith said that the Australia Day Honours were a chance to recognise the often-overlooked role played by public servants in developing and implementing policies that benefited all Australians.
“As in past years, our alumni have been recognised for their professionalism and dedication, and the quality of their work. Australia’s response to COVID-19 has shown that we have a high-quality public sector and ANZSOG alumni have been front-and-centre in that work,” he said.
“I congratulate all public servants recognised in this year’s Honours for their role in delivering public value to their communities.”
Awards to ANZSOG alumni were made as follows:
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Wendy Steendam – Executive Master of Public Administration 2004 (Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner for Specialist Operations) has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the community through emergency response organisations. Deputy Commissioner Steendam has been a board member of the Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council since 2019 and in 2016 delivered the Victoria Police Capability Plan. She has been a fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (Victoria) since 2014.
Public Service Medals (60 awarded in total)
Tracy Creech – Executive Master of Public Administration 2016 (Australian Government – Department of Social Services) was recognised for outstanding public service in establishing survivor-focused support services for the National Redress Scheme and for guiding instrumental improvements.
Alice Linacre – Executive Master of Public Administration 2017 (Australian Government – Department of Agriculture) was recognised for outstanding public service in the provision and management of legal services and resources to support the government’s response to critical events, including the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID honour roll).
John Tansey – Executive Fellows Program 2009 (NSW Government – Department of Customer Service) was recognised for outstanding public service to building regulation in New South Wales.
Lee Miezis – Executive Fellows Program 2013 (Victorian Government – Environmental Protection Authority) was recognised for outstanding public service to policy, regulation and service delivery in Victoria, particularly in the area of environmental sustainability.
Sarah Stephen – Towards Strategic Leadership 2016 (Victorian Government – Department of Land, Environment, Water and Planning) was recognised for outstanding public service to strategic policy reform and delivery in Victoria, particularly in the areas of climate change and energy.
Jasmina Joldic – Deputies Leadership Program 2021 (Queensland Government – Queensland Health) was recognised for outstanding public service through delivery of critical functions and health policies that have contributed to the successful COVID-19 response in Queensland (COVID honour roll).
Kathleen Robinson – Executive Fellows Program 2013 (Northern Territory Government – Department of Corporate and Digital Development) was recognised for outstanding public service to the Northern Territory Public Sector.
Ian Scrimgeour – China Reciprocal Program 2018 (Northern Territory Government – NT Geological Survey) was recognised for outstanding public service to geoscience in the Northern Territory.
In addition, Dr David Gruen, a member of the ANZSOG Research Committee, as well as ABS statistician and member of the National Data Advisory Council, and a former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to public administration, economic research, business, and education.