School of Government alumni and student recognised at 2019 Spirit of Service awards
The School of Government at Wellington School of Business and Government was proud to sponsor the Spirit of Service Awards 2019 which recognised outstanding public sector leadership delivering exceptional outcomes for New Zealanders.
The awards, held in early September, highlighted the depth and breadth of the work that those working in the public sector do and the positive outcomes they achieve.
The School of Government sponsored the Leadership in Governance Award which celebrates and recognises inspirational, world-class public sector leadership that delivers results for New Zealand and New Zealanders. The award, which was presented by Victoria University of Wellington Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford, went to the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Health for their Enabling Good Lives programme which is centred around disability system reform.
Two School of Government alumae and a current student were also recognised at the awards.
Postgraduate Certificate in Public Management graduates Bronwyn Petrie and Natalie Burton, along with their colleagues, won the Better Outcomes Award and the Prime Minister’s Award for the Healthy Homes Initiative. The Healthy Homes Initiative, a joint initiative led by the Ministry of Health with Housing New Zealand, the Ministry of Social Development, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, and Auckland Council has significantly reduced hospital visits and antibiotic prescriptions for children in 16,000 families through 46,000 collaborative housing interventions to create warmer, drier homes.
Current Master of Public Management student Rani Morunga along with colleagues from the Ministry of Social Development and iwi members from Ngāti Pāhauwera, won the Māori/Crown Relationships Award for their project focussed on achieving sustainable employment in economically deprived areas of the Hawke’s Bay.
“It is a privilege to have been able to sponsor the Spirit of Service Awards 2019,” says Professor Girol Karacaoglu, Head of the School of Government. “The School of Government, which is the only School of Government in New Zealand, plays an important role in educating the next generation of world-class public servants and it was an absolute pleasure to see Bronwyn, Natalie, and Rani, and their colleagues, recognised for the great work they do.”