Public Sector staff at all levels and in all States and Territories have been recognised by the Queen for their commitment and excellence in serving the people of Australia to mark the occasion of Her Majesty’s birthday in 2022.
The Queen’s awards for members of the Victorian Public Service are presented in accordance with the Order of Australia and announced on Her Majesty’s behalf by his Excellency the Governor-General, General David Hurley.
Current and past members of the VPS being honoured on this occasion, including the recipients of the Public Service Medal, were:
MEMBER IN THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
Keith Clifford BELL RFD AM
Land Information Centre
For significant service to surveying, to geospatial information, and to humanitarian operations.
Dr Bell was Surveyor-General and Commissioner of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Victoria from 1999 to 2003.
MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM)
Barbara Jocelyn CARTER OAM
Office of the Public Advocate
For service to the community through a range of roles.
Ms Carter has been the Senior Policy and Research Officer in the Office of the Public Advocate since 2007.
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Argiri ALISANDRATOS PSM
Roadmap for Reform
For outstanding public service to the community, particularly to Victoria’s most vulnerable.
Mr Alisandratos has worked tirelessly for over 25 years to improve the lives of Victoria’s most disadvantaged communities. Through his work on the Victorian Government’s Roadmap for Reform, he has helped ensure disadvantaged children and youth reach their full potential.
His experience as a strong ally to Aboriginal communities across Victoria has been a key driver in the implementation of Aboriginal strategies within the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, especially through the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission truth-telling process.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Alisandratos has been a guiding force to enable community services to better support their people, as well as supported his colleagues during a time of uncertainty. Mr Alisandratos’ contribution has ensured that Victoria’s most disadvantaged communities have been given the respect and support they deserve.
Pitsa BINNION PSM
McKinnon Secondary College
For outstanding public service to education in Victoria.
Mrs Binnion is an extraordinary educational leader.
Her commitment over 39 years, as a teacher and principal, to ensuring the best outcomes for students is enduring, including in the face of the uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Principal of McKinnon Secondary College, Mrs Binnion has been persistent in her pursuit of educational excellence, with a remarkable impact on the performance and growth, including the development of a second campus.
Mrs Binnion’s educational leadership, including work with other principals, and her devotion to improving outcomes, has had a marked impact on the Victorian education system and the lives of many students.
Geoffrey Philip BLOCK PSM
Kurnai International Program
For outstanding public service to education in Victoria.
Mr Block has demonstrated exemplary leadership as a teacher and principal in Victoria for over 40 years, showing a commitment to transformative education in the La Trobe Valley.
Mr Block has made a significant contribution to international education as the leader of the Kurnai International Program since 1999, growing it into a major avenue for cross-cultural exchanges. He has also pioneered vocational education and training in schools through the delivery of the pilot program in Gippsland secondary schools to expand learning opportunities and pathways.
Throughout his career, Mr Block’s stewardship and dedication has been instrumental in improving educational outcomes, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Claire Jennifer BOARDMAN PSM
College of Infection Prevention Control
For outstanding public service to health in Victoria, particularly for the COVID-19 response.
Ms Boardman is a leader in infection prevention and infectious diseases, and founder of the Australasian College of Infection Prevention Control. Her advisory roles have covered the breadth and entirety of the COVID-19 response, from communities to health organisations and government agencies.
The Infection Prevention Control Advice and Response unit was set up by Ms Boardman during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and has provided clear infection prevention and control advice and training to those who work on the frontlines battling the pandemic.
Ms Boardman’s diligence and perseverance over her many years of public service and recent leadership during the pandemic will impact disease management in Australia for years to come.
John BRADLEY PSM
Secretary, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
For outstanding public service to strategic policy reform and delivery in Victoria, particularly in the areas of energy and natural resource management.
Mr Bradley has demonstrated exemplary leadership in the delivery of policies to improve sustainable outcomes for communities for over 30 years.
With a focus on place-based solutions, Mr Bradley has overseen numerous major policy and infrastructure reforms across different jurisdictions. In his current role as Secretary to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, he leads a workforce comprising more than 4,800 staff across 91 locations in Victoria. Recognised as a transformative leader, he is not only a strong advocate of innovative public administration, but also an active promoter of inclusion and diversity with initiatives to create culturally-safe workplaces for staff.
In often challenging policy environments, Mr Bradley has navigated complexity through problem-solving, with an unwavering commitment to excellent leadership and stakeholder engagement.
Mr Bradley has achieved a substantial record of achievement in public policy innovation which will have lasting positive impacts on generations to come.
Genevieve Mary DOLAN PSM
Department of Premier and Cabinet
For outstanding public service in the delivery of communications in Victoria, particularly for the COVID-19 response.
Ms Dolan is a respected leader in the Victorian Public Service, with notable service leading the Victorian Government’s communications strategy at the Department of Premier and Cabinet during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Dolan’s strategic planning and oversight set the foundations and systems for streamlined communication, ensuring all Victorians had access to high-quality, timely and accurate information which was customised for their requirements.
Throughout her public service career, Ms Dolan has led strategic communications for a wide range of services and policy reforms. She is a passionate and effective advocate for gender equality and workplace mental health and wellbeing.
(Nadia) Deborah FRIEDMAN PSM
COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Response
For outstanding public service to health in Victoria, particularly for the COVID-19 response.
Associate Professor Friedman is one of Australia’s leading infectious disease physicians and has helped lead the Victorian COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Response unit throughout the pandemic to provide national gold-standard advice.
Her leadership has spurred innovation in the field of infectious disease control from resourcing and policy development to strategy and implementation across the nation. The standards that she set for the COVID-19 response enabled Victoria to safely reopen and major state events to proceed.
Following on from leadership in infection control, Associate Professor Friedman became Deputy Chief Health Officer in the COVID response in Victoria.
Associate Professor Friedman’s expertise and tenacity has helped guide Victoria safely through the pandemic.
Marcus John HORWOOD PSM
Aboriginal community
For outstanding public service to community health and safety in Victoria.
Mr Horwood has tirelessly led work to improve health outcomes for the Aboriginal community in the Mallee area. He has continually demonstrated a readiness to go above and beyond, ensuring the community he serves remains safe and supported.
Mr Horwood’s rapport and engagement with the local community, in particular the Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative, has been invaluable in assisting people to navigate government processes and ensure the provision of necessary resources.
Through his commitment to relationship-building and essential service delivery, Mr Horwood has had a profound impact on the lives of many vulnerable community members.
Kate Alexandra HOUGHTON PSM
Health, Aboriginal affairs and Jjustice
For outstanding public service to policy and program delivery in Victoria, particularly in the area of community health.
Ms Houghton has been dedicated to ground-breaking policy work in health, Aboriginal affairs, justice and the environment for over 25 years. These roles have demanded a commitment to evidence-based policy and personal integrity, which she has consistently upheld.
Notably, Ms Houghton’s leadership of the whole-of-government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and her work in water policy have been of immeasurable benefit to the Victorian community.
In her willingness to persevere through uncertainty and pioneer innovative approaches to policy, Ms Houghton has proven herself to be an exceptional and dependable leader.
Stanislav Antun KRPAN PSM
Social and environmental justice
For outstanding public service to policy and program delivery, particularly in the areas of environmental and social policy.
Mr Krpan has dedicated his career to regulatory reform and policy innovation, particularly in relation to sustainability, renewable energy and regulation. A passion for social and environmental justice has enabled him to achieve many successful reforms for over 20 years.
Mr Krpan’s talent for tackling complex policy challenges is evident in his contributions to creating safer and more sustainable communities. This includes the design and implementation of the Solar Homes Program which has encouraged the uptake of renewable energy.
Mr Krpan’s achievements as a policy adviser and leader have had an enduring impact on both the public service and the broader Victorian community, who continue to benefit from the numerous initiatives he has championed.
David Julian STOCKMAN PSM
Leadership in communications
For outstanding public service in the delivery of communications in Victoria, particularly for the COVID-19 response.
Mr Stockman has worked in Government communications for over 10 years and is a respected leader in the Victorian Public Service.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Stockman’s outstanding leadership ensured Victorians had access to customised high-quality, timely and accurate communications.
His leadership in communications has also had a significant impact on improving the health and wellbeing of Victorians in complex policy areas.
Mr Stockman has led teams with skill and compassion and takes a values-based approach to communications to improve the lives of Victorians, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helen Marie-Therese VAUGHAN
Victoria’s water system
For outstanding public service to policy and program delivery in Victoria, particularly in the area of natural resource management.
Ms Vaughan has dedicated her career to exceptional service delivery for regional communities. Her role in delivering several major initiatives has ensured that Victoria’s water resources are safe, accessible and sustainable into the future.
Ms Vaughan’s leadership is underpinned by a culture of inclusiveness. She has championed initiatives to drive greater representation of women in the sector, as well as leading work on incorporating the self-determination of Aboriginal Victorians into program delivery.
With extensive experience across a vast array of complex policies and strategies, Ms Vaughan has shown a consistently exceptional standard of stakeholder engagement, and her contributions have been pivotal in modernising Victoria’s water system, to bring lasting benefits to the community.
Alexandra Elizabeth WEST PSM
Victoria Police
For outstanding public service to Victoria Police, particularly in mental health.
Dr Alexandra West has made an indelible contribution to mental health services within Victoria Police for over 10 years.
Dr West’s role within the Victoria Police Mental Health Review led to significant changes that reached beyond the Police Psychology Unit. A raft of reforms to improve the delivery of mental health services to Victoria Police employees were implemented as a result of her determined efforts.
Dr West was also the primary author of the Victoria Police Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Action Plan, which has been instrumental in ensuring sustainable mental health services in Victoria Police.
Dr West’s leadership has embedded a new standard of managing mental health within the public sector and has influenced not only the state of Victoria, but other jurisdictions in Australia and around the world.
