Public Service staff at all levels and in all States and Territories were recognised by the Queen last week 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 South Australian 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 SA PS being honoured on this occasion, including the recipients of the Public Service Medal, were:
COMPANION IN THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AC)
Tanya Mary MONRO AC
University of Adelaide
For eminent service to scientific and technological development, to research and innovation, to tertiary education, particularly in the field of photonics, and to professional organisations.
Professor Monro was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Research and Innovation at the University of Adelaide from 2015 to 2019.
OFFICER IN THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AO)
Marnie HUGHES-WARRINGTON AO
University of South Australia
For distinguished service to tertiary education and governance as an administrator, leader and mentor.
Professor Hughes-Warrington was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor, Research and Enterprise at the University of South Australia since 2020.
MEMBER IN THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
David Gordon SWIFT AM
Essential Services Commission
For significant service to the energy sector of South Australia.
Mr Swift was Commissioner and now is Chair of the Essential Services Commission of South Australia since 2019.
Hilary Patience WINCHESTER AM
Training and Skills Commission
For significant service to tertiary education, and to governance, committee and advisory roles.
Emeritus Professor Winchester is a former Commissioner of the South Australia Training and Skills Commission
MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM)
Teresa NOWAK OAM
South Australia Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission
For service to the multicultural community of South Australia.
Ms Nowak was Commissioner of the South Australia Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission from 2013 to 2018
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Thomas James DODD PSM
SA Pathology
For outstanding public service and world-class innovation and leadership in pathology services across South Australia.
Dr Dodd is a committed and passionate leader of patient care. He has ensured clinical excellence while driving improvements in the performance, quality and safety of pathology services across South Australia’s public and private health sectors.
Appointed as Clinical Services Director for SA Pathology less than a year before the outbreak of COVID-19, he has delivered significant improvements and efficiencies of SA Pathology’s business services to ensure the organisation was exceptionally well-placed to manage the demands of the pandemic.
Dr Dodd has played a crucial role in the state’s COVID-19 response. He was responsible for establishing SA Pathology’s testing capability within days of COVID-19’s genome sequence being published online. The in-house testing platform operates independently of commercial tests, and its establishment was critical to South Australia’s ability to maintain high testing numbers despite worldwide reagent shortages.
His innovative approach led to unique and clinically excellent solutions both before and during the pandemic, including opening Australia’s first drive-through testing site at the Repatriation General Hospital and a world-first detection dog trial at Adelaide Airport. He also established a dedicated domiciliary care service critical in protecting vulnerable citizens, including those in residential care facilities.
Under Dr Dodd’s expert clinical guidance, test turnaround times for Local Health Networks and GPs in the wider community have noticeably improved. He is driven by his commitment to excellent service provision and sustaining the gains made in pathology turnaround times across all diagnostic pathology tests.
Dr Dodd’s outstanding leadership and world-class innovation have benefited all South Australians, helping to keep them safe and healthy throughout the global pandemic
David Glen REYNOLDS PSM
Department of Treasury and Finance
For outstanding public service on South Australia’s economic and financial response, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Reynolds has led the implementation of South Australia’s economic and financial response during the COVID-19 global pandemic, while fulfilling his duties as Chief Executive of the Department of Treasury and Finance.
Mr Reynolds joined the South Australian public sector in 1995 and was promoted to the role of CE in 2015. As a leader of 1800 employees, he is a well-respected public servant of high integrity and provides well-considered, frank and timely advice. A member of the government’s COVID-19 Transition Committee, (and its successor groups), he is an expert contributor who applies an appropriately balanced view to addressing the health, economic and social implications of the state’s pandemic response.
In the past two years, Mr Reynolds’ leadership has helped shape the $4 billion Economic Stimulus Package, which also leverages a further $1 billion in Commonwealth, local government, and business investment. The largest stimulus program in the state’s history, included numerous grants and relief programs to benefit communities, people, and organisations in need across South Australia.
In particular, he ensured Small Business Grants were delivered in a timely manner with minimal red-tape to assist those impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns. Thousands of relief payments were made within days of the grants being announced because he mobilised a skilled team to expedite this much-needed assistance. This level of responsiveness and ability to lead people through complex and challenging times is a hallmark of his professionalism.
Mr Reynolds’ innovation during the pandemic in mobilising employees for community needs while continuing business-as-usual services by the department has created a more mobile, flexible workforce.
Under his direction, the Department of Treasury and Finance has strengthened its commitment to customer service, ensuring the skills and abilities of its workforce are used for the betterment of the state.
Fiona WARD PSM
Department for Child Protection
For outstanding public service in child protection and community services for children and families in South Australia
Fiona Ward has dedicated more than three decades to improving outcomes for children and young people across child protection, community support and family services, with a strong focus on social justice in South Australia.
A qualified social worker, Ms Ward joined the South Australian public service after graduating in 1990, progressing through Families SA and Aboriginal Affairs & Reconciliation to her current position as the Department for Child Protection’s Deputy Chief Executive.
Ms Ward has achieved significant outcomes in both the child protection and Aboriginal affairs portfolios and her service demonstrates her strong commitment to the voice and agency of vulnerable and marginalised people in public policy. She has led large scale reform focused on enhancing supports for Aboriginal children, families and communities, as well as holding agencies to account for their service responsibilities and commitments.
Establishing successful partnerships across the health, early intervention, disability and domestic violence sectors is integral to her work. She is also known as a skilled negotiator and strategic thinker, capable of navigating difficult political terrain and developing innovative and workable solutions to complex challenges.
As a leader of change, Ms Ward has led national reform initiatives for children and young people including the development of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s children Safe and Supported 2021-2031. She has also shown steadfast leadership and determination to resolve barriers for children and young people in care to access key disability services and supports.
In addition to her championing of children and young people, Ms Ward has been instrumental in achieving key transformative changes ranging from the Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme to constitutional recognition for South Australia’s First Peoples, as well as the successful negotiation of the Commonwealth-State-community APY Lands Regional Partnership Agreement, all of which have lasting community impact.
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Ms Ward has led the Department for Child Protection’s response, helping its workforce to embrace new technologies and agile processes to ensure support and service continuity for children and young people in care.
Janet Gai WILLOUGHBY PSM
Charles Sturt Council
For outstanding public service in developing public urban spaces and a community gardening movement for the City of Charles Sturt.
Janet Willoughby is recognised for her outstanding leadership and commitment to civic participation through the development of public urban spaces and a community gardening movement across Adelaide’s western suburbs.
Ms Willoughby is Open Space Community Planner at Charles Sturt Council. Her current role is the culmination of three decades of working and holding senior roles in horticulture and arboriculture at Charles Sturt (and previously the former Woodville Council). She combines her expertise and technical knowledge with her natural leadership, drive and passion for gardening.
In a previous role, Ms Willoughby identified a significant opportunity to address a gap in the council’s support for emerging community gardening groups. In 2018, she was given the current role of Open Space Community Planner with the priority to create valued open public urban spaces that bring people together and reflect the area’s local character.
In this role, Ms Willoughby also supports and builds community resilience, a sense of belonging and encourages civic participation. Under her guiding hand, a growing network of more than 20 active and committed gardening groups and new formal and informal community gardens have emerged across the council area. These groups are creating a deep sense of community, important social connections and generally improving their local environment through a range of greening and gardening activities.
Ms Willoughby has demonstrated strong leadership and mentoring capability both internally across the council organisation and externally to the local community. She has also emerged as a role model within the wider local government sector in the community gardening space; she hosts weekend tours for interested visitors keen to create their own garden group networks.
Ms Willoughby visits and assists many of the community gardening groups after hours and on weekends, volunteering her time to nurture these valuable recreational, social and educational resources.
