Her Majesty the Queen has recognised the skills and commitment of a wide range of staff members in the ACT Public Service this Australia Day rewarding them with honours for their outstanding service, achievements, leadership and innovation in serving the people of the Territory.
The honours were released on Her Majesty’s behalf by the Governor-General, his Excellency General David Hurley, and include among other awards the PS-only honour, the Public Service Medal.
The honoured PS staff on Australia Day 2021 include:
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
Genevieve Mary JACOBS AM
For significant service to the broadcast media, and to the community.
Mrs Jacobs was a radio presenter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Canberra from 2008 to 2017.
Jillian Anne GUTHRIE AM
For significant service to Indigenous health, and to justice reinvestment policy.
Dr Guthrie is an Executive Member of the Australian National University’s Research School of Population Health and has been a Senior Research Fellow of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program in the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health since 2017.
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Mark HUXLEY PSM
Education Directorate
For outstanding public service to education in the Australian Capital Territory.
Mr Huxley has provided exceptional service and leadership to the Australian Capital Territory’s education system for over 20 years. He has demonstrated a passion for education, and the teaching profession, and a commitment to school improvement throughout all aspects of his work.
As he has progressed his career from the classroom to the Education Support Office in the ACT Education Directorate in significant leadership roles, he has always maintained a focus on delivery of benefits to students and schools.
The most significant and recent example of his leadership has been evidenced during the past twelve months. The extraordinary impacts of bushfires, smoke pollution, and the national COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted education communities like never before. In his role as Executive Group Manager, School Improvement he has been integral to the coordination and ongoing success of the ACT education system’s continuity of education programs for all students. In particular, he has provided superior management of the Territory’s COVID response, and the transition to student online learning.
Mr Huxley has served the ACT Education Directorate, and the community of the Australian Capital Territory, with distinction throughout his career.
Anita PERKINS PSM
Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
For outstanding public service to strategic communications and community engagement in the Australian Capital Territory.
Ms Perkins was appointed to the challenging role of then Director Communication in the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate in early 2014.
Since that time she has been committed to revolutionising ACT Government communications to ensure the Canberra community is kept informed and engaged on the issues that most matter to them.
Since March 2020 she has been the Public Information Coordinator for the ACT Government’s COVID-19 pandemic response and, under her leadership, the Canberra community has been kept abreast of the Government’s actions to this public health emergency, and the actions the community needs to take to stop the spread of the Corona virus.
She has used her extensive experience to drive further innovation and reform to government communications including a more whole of government approach to advertising campaigns. The success of communications in this time of emergency response has come on top of several years of transformation of the communications and engagement profession across the ACT Government.
This has resulted in the community being better informed about the Government’s services, programs and policies as well as the financial savings achieved through more efficient, streamlined, and better targeted messaging.
Ms Perkins has carried out a clear agenda of modernising the ACT Government’s approach to traditional and digital communications which reflects ACT Public Service values and commitment to the community.
Narelle Joy RIVERS PSM
Community Services Directorate
For outstanding public service through improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Capital Territory.
Ms Rivers is a proud Darug woman who has a long and outstanding service record in both the ACT Government and the Australian Government, across a suite of roles delivering front line services.
Since joining the ACT Public Service in 2004, she has achieved significant outcomes in influencing and reforming systems and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in the ACT. In 2017 she was appointed to lead the Our Booris, Our Way Review. This Review was a wholly Aboriginal-led, independent review into the circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in contact with the ACT child protection system.
Throughout this complex, dynamic and sensitive review she demonstrated incredible, authentic and genuine leadership, often under pressure from competing groups and priorities. She supervised and led a team of highly experienced reviewers to remain focused on their often traumatic and challenging task. She excelled in this role as a leader and mentor, and navigated competing priorities with skill and expertise. She maintained positive working relationships with all stakeholders which assisted her to deliver a significant and timely report in December 2019.
Ms Rivers has provided committed and exemplary service to the ACT Government, and to the wider community of the Australian Capital Territory, during her more than 16 year career.
