NSW Department of Customer Service
NSW Telco Authority (NSWTA) staff have been formally recognised for their exceptional service during the Northern NSW floods of February to March 2022, receiving the National Emergency Medal – Floods February 2022 at a presentation held on Monday 24 November 2025.
The Hon Jihad Dib MP, NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government and Minister for Emergency Services, attended the ceremony at the McKell Building and presented the medals to NSWTA staff past and present, on behalf of the Office of the Governor-General of Australia.
The National Emergency Medal acknowledges the extraordinary contributions of NSWTA’s Emergency Management team and staff across the organisation who worked tirelessly to maintain critical communications during one of the state’s most significant natural disasters.
Throughout the unprecedented flooding across Northern NSW, NSWTA staff worked alongside emergency services organisations, telecommunications carriers, local partners and the broader NSW Government to ensure the Public Safety Network (PSN) remained operational. Their efforts kept first responders connected and supported emergency operations at a time when communities were isolated, infrastructure was under strain and access to real‑time information was vital.
The ceremony was attended by NSW Department of Customer Service Acting Secretary Greg Wells, NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin, Telco Advisory Board Members Anthony Borgese GAICD, Sean O’Halloran and Grant Stepa, as well as members of the NSWTA Executive Leadership Team, to celebrate this achievement.
Following the formal proceedings, staff and guests gathered for afternoon tea to mark the occasion and reflect on the essential role critical communications play in emergency response and community recovery.
NSWTA remains committed to strengthening the resilience of the PSN and supporting emergency response efforts to keep people and places across NSW safe and connected.