2026 Premier's Awards

Winner: Mitchell Farrell

Acting Service Coordinator, Towards Zero Suicides, Community Mental Health Services
Western Sydney Local Health District
NSW Health

Mitchell Farrell is an exceptional young leader whose contributions to the Towards Zero Suicides program have strengthened suicide prevention services across Western Sydney and influenced broader NSW Health service reform.

Since joining the team in 2021 as a lived experience peer worker, Mitchell has played a key role in the co-design, delivery and ongoing improvement of initiatives including Safe Haven and the Suicide Prevention Outreach Team, contributing to innovative, recovery-oriented models of care. Mitchell leads with heart, inspires with purpose, and makes everyone around him better. He consistently creates safe, compassionate and non-judgemental spaces where consumers feel heard, respected and empowered to seek support.

Alongside direct consumer care, he mentors emerging peer workers, contributes to workforce education and champions lived experience integration across the health system. Through his leadership, service innovation and unwavering commitment to consumers and carers, Mitchell exemplifies the values of collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment.

Finalists

Danielle Captain-Webb

Solicitor Advocate, Coronial Inquest Unit
Legal Aid Commission
Department of Communities and Justice

Danielle Captain‑Webb is a proud Gomeroi and Wiradjuri woman, lawyer and mother of five. She leads the Coronial Inquest Unit at Legal Aid NSW, ensuring legal support for grieving families is trauma informed and culturally safe. Danielle’s work reflects her strong commitment to social justice and strategic advocacy. While representing families through an inquest, she takes every opportunity to strengthen public sector accountability and prevent future deaths.

Her focus on systemic reform prioritises the needs of the most disadvantaged, particularly where improvements can support Closing the Gap targets. Danielle understands that when public services work for those with the greatest needs they work better for everyone. Motivated by service, Danielle also contributes widely to her community and the legal profession. She has exceptional leadership potential and is poised to make a lasting contribution to the NSW public sector.

Dr Simone Cheung

Staff Specialist Supportive and Palliative Medicine
Westmead Hospital
Western Sydney Local Health District
NSW Health

Dr Simone Cheung is an emerging leader in Supportive and Palliative Medicine whose calm, humble and deeply collaborative approach has already delivered significant quality and safety improvements across Western Sydney Local Health District. Just two years into her career as a Specialist Physician, she identified a critical patient safety gap in syringe driver prescribing and led the design and implementation of a district-wide electronic prescribing solution that has transformed medication safety, consistency and clinical workflow across multiple sites.

Dr Cheung is recognised for her ability to bring people together across disciplines including nursing, pharmacy, IT and medicine, creating solutions that are both clinically meaningful and practical for frontline staff. Alongside this work, she has driven the development of a live service dashboard to support future planning in Supportive and Palliative Care. Her leadership is grounded in respect, openness and a genuine commitment to improving care for patients and clinicians alike.

Dr Yi-Kai Tea

Curator Ichthyology
Australian Museum
Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport

Dr Yi-Kai Tea, known as ‘Kai the Fish Guy’ on social media, is Curator of Ichthyology at the Australian Museum, Kai combines scientific excellence with a deep commitment to public knowledge and biodiversity.

Having described over thirty new species and published in leading international journals, his work advances understanding of coral reef ecosystems with real conservation significance. Beyond research, Kai communicates science to broad audiences through photography, blogs and social media; he has recently been the subject of a profile in the Sydney Morning Herald and his work and research featured on ABC TV’s 7.30 Report program.

His passion and dedication to taxonomy as a public good demonstrate outstanding leadership potential in service of NSW's cultural and scientific institutions and have made him emerge as an effective international science communicator.

Winner: Renee Emery

Head Teacher, Floristry, Logistics and Retail
TAFE NSW

Renee Emery is Head Teacher of Floristry, Retail and Logistics at TAFE NSW Wollongbar. She is recognised for her outstanding commitment to delivering education in some of the most complex training environments in NSW. Over the past two years, she has stepped with purpose and compassion into correctional facilities, youth justice centres, and flood-devastated communities – guided by a simple but powerful question: what do these members of our community need, and how can we ensure they receive it?

Renee demonstrated exceptional leadership in establishing programs where none previously existed, and in sustaining them with distinction. In the past two years alone, nearly 100 inmates have completed nationally recognised qualifications, more than 700 forklift licences have been delivered to support Northern Rivers flood recovery, and a small regional training offer has grown into a $1million job-readiness program. Alongside this work, Renee has also represented Australia on the global stage through WorldSkills International, supporting students and shaping national and international standards for vocational excellence.

Finalists

Marcel Green

Program Leader Shark Programs
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Marcel Green is an exceptional public servant whose leadership defines one of NSW’s most complex and visible coastal programs, the NSW Shark Management Program. Since its inception following the spate of Ballina incidents in 2015, Marcel has guided the program from early research through to full implementation, translating evidence into on-ground action. He leads a small, multidisciplinary team with professionalism, empathy and clarity, lifting morale and performance through sustained growth.

Over the past 12 months, increased funding and heightened community expectations have demanded strong strategic leadership. Marcel has met these demands while working with senior executives across Fisheries and Forestry, supporting the Minister’s Office, and partnering with media team to ensure transparent, accurate communication. Whether briefing executives, fronting media, installing equipment, engaging stakeholders or speaking directly with communities on beaches, Marcel embodies NSW public service values. His integrity, accessibility and commitment have built trust and delivered outcomes for coastal communities.

Dr Mitchell Smith

Staff Specialist, NSW Refugee Health Service
South-Western Sydney Local Health District
NSW Health

Dr Mitchell Smith is nominated in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to humanitarian service in the fields of refugee health and public health. Dr Smith was the inaugural Director of the NSW Refugee Health Service which he led for over 25 years. He has also made a significant contribution to public health management.

He played a key role to communicable disease control both as medical advisor to the Emergency Operations Centre in South Western Sydney during the COVID-19 pandemic and recently as Acting Director of the South Western Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit. He is recognised for his clear, concise and calm approach.

Embedded across his whole career is compassion, kindness, a commitment to equity and a dedication to vulnerable populations including people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds in greater western Sydney and across NSW.

Lizette Taylor

Teacher, Gralee School
Department of Education

Lizette Taylor is a teacher at Gralee School and an Assistant Principal for Curriculum Instruction at Wewak Street School. Lizette’s exemplary dedication has profoundly impacted a student with childhood dementia through her tailored learning programs that align closely with curriculum standards. Over 18 months, she consistently engaged with the student’s parents and educators, ensuring their active involvement and fostering strong partnerships.

Her innovative teaching practices and compassionate approach have not only transformed the student’s educational experience but also enriched the broader school community. Lizette’s commitment to professional dialogue and collaboration with support agencies highlights her outstanding leadership within the NSW Department of Education. Her unwavering support and ability to adapt learning strategies to meet unique needs demonstrate a remarkable level of professionalism and empathy.

Winner: Delivering homes faster and more efficiently

Homes NSW
Department of Communities and Justice

Homes NSW’s Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Program is transforming the delivery of social housing by adopting innovative, scalable building solutions to address rising costs, skills shortages and declining productivity. Through continued industry-led research initiative in partnership with Building 4.0 Cooperative Research Centre to innovate and develop MMC solutions and pioneering ‘kit-of-parts', Homes NSW delivers faster, more efficient delivery of social housing, while growing industry capability and strengthening Australia’s construction supply chain.

Since its launch, the program has delivered 242 homes and is on track to provide targeted MMC homes by 2031. Achievements include modular secondary dwellings, dual occupancies for families and downsizers, and housing solutions for regional communities, essential workers and Aboriginal communities. The program’s industry-leading Showcase and demonstration prototype engaged more than 2,000 architects, builders, developers and community members, helping build confidence in new approaches to housing delivery.

By driving cross-agency collaboration, fostering a resilient supplier ecosystem and creating a model that can be scaled across social, affordable and private housing, Homes NSW is setting a new benchmark for sustainable housing delivery.

Finalists

100 public preschools

Department of Education

This transformative program is establishing 100 new public preschools on public school sites across NSW by 2027. This program will double the number of public preschools in the state, ensuring up to 9,000 more children are able to access quality preschool education, supporting their lifelong learning and development.

The multidisciplinary team has undertaken this ambitious program to deliver all 100 new preschools within a 4-year period, from business case development, site identification and evaluation, awarding tenders and utilising standardised master plans for efficient design and construction to stakeholder engagement, workforce recruitment, regulatory service approval and quality educational establishment.

All 100 public preschools are on track to meet the goal of opening in early 2027, with construction already complete on 52, an exceptional achievement given the scale, complexity and tight timeframes for delivering the program.

AI for smarter site inspections

Building Commission NSW
Department of Customer Service

The Data, Intelligence and Analytics team delivered an integrated solution that combines regulatory datasets, risk indicators, commercial aerial imagery, and AI-assisted visual analysis to identify construction sites across NSW and determine their stage of construction. With approximately 90,000 active construction sites across the state, manually reviewing imagery at scale was impractical; AI now rapidly identifies active sites and construction stages, enabling inspectors to focus on higher-value regulatory activities. By analysing both current and historical imagery, the solution can detect whether construction activity is occurring and estimate project progression enabling inspectors to be deployed when they can have the greatest regulatory impact, such as during early structural works. AI provides transparent, explainable recommendations and confidence scores, while all operational decisions remain with Data and Intelligence Analysts and Inspectors. The result is more targeted inspections, reduced manual effort and better regulatory outcomse through data-driven decision making.

Discrete Aboriginal Communities condition assessment project

Aboriginal Affairs NSW
Premier’s Department
Partner: NSW Public Works
Local Aboriginal Land Councils

The Discrete Aboriginal Communities (DAC) condition assessments project, led by Aboriginal Affairs NSW, is transforming how government plans and invests in some of the state’s most vulnerable communities. For the first time since 2007, the program is delivering comprehensive, on-the-ground assessments across 57 Discrete Aboriginal Communities, providing an accurate picture of housing, infrastructure, telecommunications and environmental risks. By replacing outdated data with reliable evidence, the program is laying the foundation for more targeted investment and better outcomes for Aboriginal communities across NSW.

Delivered through a strong partnership with Public Works and Local Aboriginal Land Councils, the $9.2 million program combines rigorous assessment methods with respectful culturally sensitive engagement. Early findings are already driving action, identifying hazards, improving telecommunications information and strengthening coordination across government agencies.

Beyond its immediate impact, the program is creating a lasting evidence base to guide future infrastructure investment in Discrete Aboriginal Communities, improve service delivery and support Closing the Gap priorities. By putting community knowledge at the centre of decision-making and fostering unprecedented cross-agency collaboration, the initiative is setting a new benchmark for place-based, evidence-driven government action in New South Wales.

Winner: DV Notify

Department of Customer Service, Department of Communities and Justice and NSW Police

Domestic Violence (DV) Notify is a joint initiative delivered by Department of Customer Service in partnership with Department of Communities and Justice and NSW Police, with contributions from Corrective Services NSW, Legal Aid NSW and Court Services. It demonstrates strong cross-agency collaboration addressing a complex public safety challenge, bringing together policy, operational and technology capabilities to deliver a coordinated, end-to-end service.

DV Notify is a first-of-its-kind Australian trauma-informed digital service that provides timely and secure notifications to victim-survivors of domestic and family violence when a perpetrator is released from custody. The service addresses a critical information gap, ensuring people receive clear, trusted information at moments that most affect their safety. It operates 24/7 and has been designed using a human-centred, survivor-informed approach that balances privacy, security and user control. Notifications are automatically delivered via SMS or email using clear, accessible language, and give victim-survivors the ability to manage how and when they receive sensitive information.

Finalists

First Nations Community Access to Archives

Museums of History NSW
Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport
Partner: Aboriginal Languages Trust

Museums of History NSW and the Aboriginal Languages Trust have partnered to help First Nations Communities reconnect with Language, Culture and identity through the NSW State Archives Collection. The project uncovers, describes, conserves and makes accessible thousands of pages of culturally significant archival material, with records now identified for 76% of Aboriginal Language groups in NSW.

Aligned to Closing the Gap Target 16, it delivers culturally safe, trauma-informed, community led services while building a growing First Nations archival workforce. This initiative strengthens truth-telling, supports language revitalisation and creates equitable access to intergenerational knowledge, setting a benchmark for customer centred service design and community-led archival practice.

Together in harmony to develop a thriving learning community

Auburn North Public School
Department of Education

Auburn North Public School has built an extraordinary learning community in the heart of one of Australia’s most multicultural regions. With almost 98 per cent of students from English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) backgrounds and 20 per cent from refugee or refugee-like backgrounds, the school has created a culture where every student, parent and teacher belongs. Guided by its vision of acting to make a positive difference, Auburn North has fostered a school ‘family’ built on respect, kindness and the belief that every child can achieve outstanding wellbeing and learning outcomes.

Through innovative initiatives such as Harmony House and Parents as Partners in Learning, the school has empowered families to actively engage in education while strengthening social connection and community harmony. More than 200 parents each year participate in learning programs, and parent engagement consistently exceeds 80 per cent across school activities. Students report exceptionally high levels of belonging, engagement and wellbeing. Additionally, the school has consistently achieved in the top 3% of all NSW public schools in terms of ‘Year 3-5 Value-Add’ NAPLAN data.

Underground art park at the Art Gallery of NSW

Art Gallery of NSW
Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport

At the heart of the Art Gallery of NSW’s mission is the creation of welcoming art experiences for new audiences, especially families and children, in its new building Naala Badu.

In 2024/25, the Art Gallery invited artist and playground-maker Mike Hewson to transform the Nelson Packer Tank into an inclusive ‘art park’ for play, creation, exploration and community. Bringing many unexpected functional sculptures into the Art Gallery, including a barbecue, playground and water play area all built from salvaged materials, this project involved inventiveness, determination, collaboration and resilience from staff.

The art park was immediately embraced by the largest, and some of the most diverse, audiences of any exhibition on record at the Gallery. Ranked by Time Out as one of the world’s Top 20 Attractions for 2026, this project demonstrates how art museums can redefine their role in the 21st century through wholehearted commitment to community, play, participation and resourcefulness.

Winner: Essential Worker Attraction Program

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

The Essential Worker Attraction Program was established to address essential worker shortages in regional NSW by connecting these workers with workforce needs in regional NSW, using a coordinated, whole-of-government attraction-to-retention model.

The program brings together two integrated initiatives. Make the Move is a targeted behaviour‑change campaign that builds awareness and serious consideration of regional relocation. The Welcome Experience provides place‑based relocation support, delivered by Local Connectors who assist essential workers and their families with housing, childcare, healthcare and social connection.

Since 2023, the program has supported over 4433 essential workers to relocate and fill workforce gaps across regional communities. Including family members, 9135 people have been supported to make the move to regional NSW. The program has scaled rapidly and consistently year on year, with mover numbers more than tripling since 2023, demonstrating sustained growth rather than oneoff uplift.

Finalists

The 1,000 NSW Public Sector Apprentices and Trainees Program team

Department of Education

The 1,000 NSW Public Sector Apprentices and Trainees program, developed and implemented by the Department of Education - Training Services, responds to the NSW Government’s $93.5 million election commitment to employ 1,000 additional apprentices and trainees by 30 June 2026.

The program offers wage subsidies, training to boost retention and completion, and recruitment and post-placement support for agencies. Beyond meeting commencement targets, it focuses on ensuring participants complete their training, maximising government investment value. Rather than prescribing specific qualifications or employment methods, it encourages agencies to assess recruitment practices and workforce needs, identifying roles suitable for apprentices and trainees to fill skills gaps.

With its large scale, the program aims to drive cultural change across the NSW Public Sector and significantly enhance diversity and skills development through promoting apprenticeships and traineeships as a valued alternative career pathway into the NSW Public Sector.

Thinking differently - patient safety training for senior medical officers

South-Western Sydney Local Health District
NSW Health

The South Western Sydney Patient Safety Team has transformed the way Serious Adverse Event Reviews are conducted by strengthening investigator reasoning capability among senior medical officers. Through a first-of-its-kind education program integrating systems thinking, analytical reasoning, cognitive bias mitigation and reflective practice, the team equips clinicians to critically examine evidence, challenge assumptions, consider alternative explanations, and develop stronger, more meaningful recommendations for system improvement. The program teaches clinicians not just how to conduct investigations, but how to think during investigations.

Since launching in 2023, the program has trained 139 senior medical officers, creating a skilled investigator workforce that supports reviews across local, district, and state health services. More than 90 per cent of participants reported increased knowledge and confidence, with investigations demonstrating stronger systems analysis, more robust findings, and recommendations focused on sustainable improvement.

Developed and delivered without additional funding, the initiative is strengthening clinical leadership, fostering a culture of learning and collaboration, and improving the quality of patient safety investigations. With growing interest across NSW Health, the program is helping establish a new standard for investigator capability and patient safety review practice.

Transforming Aboriginal health governance

Centre for Aboriginal Health
NSW Health

The NSW Aboriginal Health Governance, Shared Decision Making and Accountability Framework (Framework) delivers system-wide transformation of Aboriginal governance, leadership and accountability across NSW Health. From frontline services to executive structures, the Framework places Aboriginal decision-making at the core of how NSW Health delivers Aboriginal health care.

The Framework has driven a fundamental shift in Aboriginal workforce, from participation to leadership. 97% of NSW Health organisations now have an Aboriginal leadership position, including five new roles and 26 elevated roles. There has been a 900% increase in organisations with positions that embed the principles of effective Aboriginal governance, including executive level grading, direct reporting to Chief Executive and integration into governance structures. The elevation of Aboriginal Health governance has led to improved senior executive cultural capability, increased accountability for Aboriginal Health. The Framework prioritises the delivery of Aboriginal led models of care and increased cultural safety and accessibility of NSW Health services to Aboriginal people.

Winner: Removing correctional facility details from children’s birth certificates

Department of Communities and Justice
Partner: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Department of Customer Service

This initiative addresses a long-standing issue affecting children in out-of-home care (OOHC) when a parent was incarcerated at the time of birth. Correctional facility details were being recorded on birth certificates as an address or informant information. This created stigma, undermined privacy and dignity, and disproportionately impacted Aboriginal children.

Led by the High-Cost Emergency Arrangements (HCEA) Strategy Unit in collaboration with Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM), executive leaders, carers and enabling teams across government, the project delivered cross-agency reform at scale. It replaced complex, manual and often retraumatising amendment processes with a bulk, system-led approach supported by secure data sharing to identify affected records. BDM can now amend birth registrations directly and embed safeguards at the point of registration, ensuring future certificates reflect corrected information automatically. As a result, up to 114 children will receive corrected certificates without families or carers having to initiate the process.

Finalists

Financial Abuse Care Squad

Revenue NSW
Department of Customer Service

The Revenue NSW Financial Abuse Care Squad is a first‑of‑its‑kind initiative that transforms how NSW fines system supports people experiencing financial abuse. After identifying that standard processes unintentionally disadvantaged victim survivors, the team designed a dedicated, trauma‑informed pathway that prioritises safety, dignity and fair outcomes while maintaining legislative integrity.

Launched as a pilot in November 2024 and delivered on time within existing resources, the Care Squad demonstrates strong public sector leadership, collaboration and customer focus. Deep engagement with legal, financial and community partners enabled the redesign of systems to better respond to complex vulnerability.

Since the launch, the Care Squad has received 173 calls, identified 113 victim survivors, reassigned 342 demerit points to perpetrators, and resolved approximately $96,000 in fines debt. Customers report feeling believed and supported outcomes not achieved previously. This scalable effective government service delivery has immediate financial relief, reduce ongoing harm and significantly improve safety and wellbeing for victim survivors.

Helping the Bondi community with empathetic care

Service NSW
Department of Customer Service
Partner: NSW Reconstruction Authority

Service NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority collaboratively demonstrated exceptional leadership and compassion in the aftermath of the Bondi tragedy, providing critical support to individuals, families and small businesses affected by the event. In a highly traumatic and complex environment, both agencies worked closely together to rapidly mobilise frontline support which included frontline staff from both agencies, with Service NSW providing specialist customer care teams and business concierges. These agencies worked alongside other agencies including NSW Health and non government organisations such as Lifeline. The Service NSW triage role delivered immediate, streamlined and trauma-informed assistance to the community. While digital teams in Service NSW concurrently built financial grant programs in record time with care and precision.

Within days, Service NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority established a strong on-the-ground presence through community hubs, local service centres and mobile outreach, helping customers navigate support services, access mental health assistance and apply for targeted financial relief. More than 1,085 customer interactions were delivered, including support for 343 small business grant applications, with approximately $2.4 million provided to businesses impacted by the loss of trade and uncertainty following the incident.

Drawing on strong partnerships across government and the community, Service NSW balanced speed, empathy and operational excellence to support recovery when it was needed most. Their people-centred approach set a new benchmark for trauma-informed service delivery, helping the Bondi community begin to rebuild while demonstrating the very best of public service in New South Wales.

Standing with Bondi's survivors: reception centre management and support

Department of Communities and Justice
Partners: Australian Red Cross
Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network
The Salvation Army Australia
NSW Health
Transport for NSW
Multicultural NSW

Disaster Welfare delivered an exceptional response following the Bondi terror attack, providing compassionate and culturally safe support to victims, witnesses, families and the broader community. Within 24 hours, the team established and operated a Reception Centre at Coogee, supporting people affected by trauma while enabling critical police investigations. Over 17 days, 39 specialist staff provided welfare, health, transport and multicultural services to 460 individuals in a highly sensitive and emotionally charged environment.

This was the first terrorism reception centre ever established in NSW.

Working closely with the Jewish community, Disaster Welfare co-designed a culturally responsive support model that included kosher food, a menorah, Jewish psychologists and culturally informed practices. The team continually adapted services to meet evolving needs, ensuring people received respectful, trauma-informed care while navigating lengthy police interviews and the challenges of recovery.

Departmental staff included Jewish staff - who gave their time selflessly in such a personally difficult circumstance.

This innovative approach strengthened trust between government and the community, provided vital support during a time of profound distress, and created a transferable model for culturally safe disaster response. Through strong leadership, collaboration and an unwavering commitment to people-centred service, Disaster Welfare set a new benchmark for emergency welfare support in New South Wales.

Winner: Virtual Psychiatry Hub

NSW Ministry of Health

The Virtual Psychiatry Hub (VPH) is transforming mental health care across New South Wales by providing 24/7 access to senior psychiatric expertise, regardless of location. Established in response to critical psychiatrist shortages and growing demand for mental health services, the innovative statewide model connects frontline clinicians with specialist psychiatrists in an average of just 26 minutes, supporting timely, consistent and high-quality care in emergency departments, inpatient units and community mental health teams.

Since launching in 2025, VPH has supported more than 28,000 referrals across 95 facilities in ten Local Health Districts. The service is improving patient flow, reducing unnecessary admissions and ensuring more equitable access to specialist mental health care, particularly in rural and regional communities. Early results show patients receive safer, more appropriate care, while clinicians report increased confidence, reduced professional isolation and stronger support, especially after hours.

A world-leading model of virtual care, VPH is redefining how specialist mental health services are delivered. By combining clinical expertise, digital innovation and statewide collaboration, the initiative is improving health outcomes, strengthening the workforce and creating a scalable blueprint for the future of mental health care in New South Wales.

Finalists

Breaking barriers to care: blood collection for people with disability

South-Western Sydney Local Health District
NSW Health

The Specialist Intellectual Disability Health Team (SIDHT) has transformed access to healthcare for children and young people with intellectual disability and complex behaviours by creating an innovative community-based blood collection service. For many families, routine blood tests previously required hospital admission, sedation or general anaesthesia, creating significant barriers to care. By delivering blood collection in familiar settings such as homes and schools, supported by tailored behavioural strategies and close collaboration with carers, the team have developed a safer, more accessible and person-centred alternative.

The co-designed model achieved an outstanding 86 per cent success rate among individuals who had previously been unable to access standard pathology services. It has improved access to essential health monitoring, reduced reliance on hospital resources, and enhanced the experience of patients, families and clinicians. Delivered through strong partnerships and within existing resources, the initiative demonstrates how innovative, inclusive care can improve health outcomes while reducing costs and system burden.

Recognised with the inaugural NSW Health Award for Health Equity, the model is now influencing practice beyond South-Western Sydney and provides a scalable blueprint for delivering equitable healthcare to some of the state’s most vulnerable young people.

Right line, right time - improving safety of central venous catheter insertion

South-Western Sydney Local Health District
NSW Health

Central venous catheters are critical for delivering life-saving treatments such as chemotherapy, dialysis and intensive care medications, yet traditional methods of confirming catheter placement can delay treatment and create inequities in access to care. This team transformed vascular access delivery by implementing a nurse-led intra-cavitary ECG (IC-ECG) model, which uses a patient’s heartbeat to guide and confirm catheter positioning in real time at the bedside. Replacing reliance on X-ray confirmation with a safe, radiation-free alternative has enabled faster access to treatment, reduced delays and improved care for patients across metropolitan, regional and rural communities.

Combining clinical leadership with rigorous research, the team conducted a landmark randomised controlled trial involving 344 patients. The study demonstrated that 99 per cent of catheters inserted using IC-ECG were ready for immediate use, compared with 81 per cent inserted using conventional methods. The innovation more than halved procedure times, reduced the need for repositioning and repeat imaging, and generated annual hospital savings exceeding $120,000. Importantly, procedures traditionally reliant on specialist radiology services, including the insertion of implanted ports and tunnelled dialysis catheters, can now be safely performed at the bedside. This enables earlier access to chemotherapy and dialysis treatment while enhancing patient flow, improving operational efficiency and increasing hospital capacity.

This work has redefined how central venous access can be delivered across the health system. By generating world-leading evidence and translating it into practice, the team has positioned nurses at the forefront of advanced, technology-enabled care. The model is highly scalable, uses low-cost technology already available in healthcare settings, and has been adopted by health services across Australia. Its success demonstrates how nurse-led innovation can improve access to care, enhance efficiency, and drive sustainable health system transformation at scale.

Transforming planned surgery through same day care

NSW Health

By June 2022, almost 19,000 people across NSW were overdue for planned surgery as pandemic restrictions and hospital bed pressures strained hospital capacity. Recognising the opportunity to improve access to care, this team led a statewide reform to expand safe same-day surgery across NSW Health. Drawing on international evidence and rigorous data analysis, they identified high-volume procedures suitable for same-day care and embedded these into clinical pathways, performance measures and governance frameworks. Through extensive collaboration with surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, administrators and health service executives, the team transformed same-day surgery from a variable local practice into a consistent, system-wide model of care.

The reform has delivered significant benefits for patients and the health system. In 2025-26 more than 15,000 inpatient bed days have been saved, creating capacity for almost 3,200 additional patients to receive care in NSW public hospitals contributing to an 87 per cent reduction in overdue surgery patients since 2022. Patients are spending less time in hospital, recovering sooner at home, and gaining faster access to planned surgery when they need it most.

Rather than relying on short-term projects or standalone programs, the team embedded accountability, reporting and performance expectations into existing statewide systems. Their data-driven, clinician-led approach has created a scalable model now informing additional procedures and strengthening NSW Health’s reputation as a leader in same-day surgery reform. By improving access, making better use of public resources and delivering safer, more efficient care, the team is achieving lasting benefits for the people of NSW.

Winner: Beyond postcodes: expanding access to a world-class curriculum

Aurora College
Department of Education

Aurora College was established to address a long-standing inequity in education: where a student lives should not determine the breadth of learning opportunities available to them. Rural and remote students have historically faced limited access to selective education, extension learning, and senior subjects. The NSW Department of Education responded by creating a statewide virtual school that enables students to remain enrolled in their local schools while accessing a broader, world-class curriculum delivered by specialist public school teachers from across the state.

Through innovative online learning, enrichment programs, and targeted partnerships, Aurora College has enabled students to study subjects and pursue pathways that may otherwise have not been accessible in their local communities. The school now connects students across NSW, expanding access to high-potential learning, increasing aspiration, and strengthening post-school pathways . Aurora College has demonstrated that geography need not limit opportunities for students by creating a scalable model for equitable education which enhances local communities across the state.

Finalists

Ajuga School - Green Guardians initiative

Ajuga School
Department of Education
Partners: Georges River Environmental Education Centre
Camden Park Environmental Education Centre
Campbelltown City Council
Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Earthwatch Australia
ARENCO

Ajuga School, serving students Kindergarten to Year 12 with complex trauma and Autism, aimed to boost engagement through hands-on environmental sustainability projects. The school developed an inclusive whole school initiative focused on exploring sustainability, local agriculture, and the food system, while empowering students as Green Guardians.

The project further investigated how small sustainability actions could increase urban biodiversity if replicated. Practical activities connected students with nature and built essential skills, ensuring meaningful participation. Key achievements include earning the EcoSchool Green Flag, one of only 24 Australian schools in 25 years to do so, and, with Earthwatch Australia’s support, planting one of NSW’s first Tiny Forests in a school.

Students experienced increased engagement and improved self-regulation, supported by personal and social capability data. This initiative demonstrates how targeted environmental projects can foster leadership, connection, and well-being among diverse learners.

Explicit and Systematic Teaching Mathematics project

Glendore Public School, Budgewoi Public School, Charlestown South Public School, The Entrance Public School, Blue Haven Public School, Yates Avenue Public School, Charlestown Public School, Vardys Road Public School, Gorokan Public School, Northlakes Public School, Toukley Public School, Briar Rd Public School & Kurri Kurri Public School.
Department of Education

The Explicit and Systematic Teaching (EAST) network of public schools has created explicit teaching resources for mathematics which are being used by over 500 schools across NSW, benefitting tens of thousands of NSW public school students. A grassroots professional learning community, the EAST network has been recognised by a 2025 Grattan Institute report for designing mathematics resources of quality, impact and alignment with the evidence base.

The EAST maths project team have made the resources freely available for all NSW Education staff on a dedicated website and Teams page, with accompanying professional learning to support implementation.

The efficacy of the work was highlighted in a Secretary’s Award for Outstanding School Achievement, “From regional conferences to front-page recognition in national media, the EAST Project is helping to shape a new standard for mathematics instruction in NSW public schools. You are lifting student outcomes and growing confidence in public education.” Murat Dizdar, 2025.

Redesigning secondary education through personalised academies

Hunter Sports High School
Department of Education

Redesigning secondary schooling through personalised academies is a whole school reform initiative responding to a major challenge in education: preparing young people for success in a complex world shaped by artificial intelligence, rapid change and uncertain futures.

Hunter Sports High School has reimagined traditional secondary schooling through a personalised academy model that delivers rigorous, relevant and equitable pathways for students. Alongside a traditional curriculum pathway, the school offers a range of personalised pathway designs tailored to students’ strengths, interests, aspirations and support needs.

The model strengthens academic achievement while deliberately building the human capabilities most needed for the future, including agency, collaboration, communication and critical thinking. This has led to stronger student engagement, belonging and achievement, alongside increased staff purpose and professional agency, while also influencing broader system change across NSW.