The Ministry of Social Development and the Families Commission have received the top award at the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ) Gen-i Public Sector Excellence Awards.

The 'It's Not OK' Campaign for Action on Family Violence won the category for Public Sector Communications sponsored by Talent2, as well as the supreme award, called the Prime Minister's Award. As a long-term programme to change attitudes and behaviours, the 'It's Not OK' campaign used a diverse range of mediums to share its message. It included supporting sports teams to build a violence-free culture within their clubs, to talking with scriptwriters and actors to build 'It's not OK' messages into popular culture programmes including Outrageous Fortune and Shortland Street.

The simplicity of the core message helped to bring discussion about family violence into the open, with one in five people who recalled the campaign taking some action as a result, and six out of ten saying have influenced someone else's behaviour.

Launched by IPANZ and Gen-i in 2008, the highly contestable awards celebrate excellence within the public sector from central and local government agencies and highlight initiatives making a positive difference to local communities.

Winners were named in six categories, each designed to highlight significant public sector initiatives making a positive difference to communities. Projects were judged on their vision, innovation and results. An additional media category acknowledged the balanced and informative coverage that raises the level of debate about public policy and administration.

The winners in each category were announced at an Award's ceremony held at the Wellington Town Hall on the evening of Friday 18 June, and Hon Tony Ryall, Minister of Health and State Services, presented the overall Prime Minister's Award to winners Ministry of Social Development and the Families Commission.

The winners in each category are:

The Supreme Award, the Prime Minister's Award

Ministry of Social Development and the Families Commission for the 'Campaign for Action on Family Violence' called 'It's not OK'

The Treasury Award for Improving Public Value through Business Transformation - Joint Winners

Counties Manukau District Health Board for the 'Six Hours Can be Ours' initiative

Land Information New Zealand for the 'Landonline 100% Electronic Lodgement' project

The Russell McVeagh Award for Working Together for Better Services

Department of Conservation and Horizons Regional Council for the 'Kia Wharite' projects

The Te Puni Kōkiri Award for Crown - Māori Relationships

Taupo District Council for the 'Joint Management Agreement'

The Microsoft Award for Networked Government

New Zealand Police, New Zealand Fire Service Commission, Central Emergency Communications and St John Emergency Communications for the 'InterCAD' project

The Talent2 Award for Public Sector Communications

Ministry of Social Development and the Families Commission for the 'Campaign for Action on Family Violence' called 'It's not OK'

The State Services Commission and the Leadership Development Centre Award for Improving Performance through Leadership Excellence

Ministry of Social Development for the 'Ministry of Social Development Leadership Cascade' project

The IPANZ Award for Excellence in Public Sector Media Coverage

Radio New Zealand's Morning Report.

Len Cook, President of IPANZ, says that the awards not only recognise where the frontier has shifted in terms of the quality and effectiveness of public services, but it is a reminder to all in government of how much the expectations placed upon them keep changing. The quality of government has a huge influence on New Zealand's place in the world, and these awards put a spotlight on the sort of performance that needs to become the norm, in the future.

Chris Quin, CEO of Gen-i Australasia, the Awards' sponsor, congratulated the winners, who all demonstrated how tough times can breed fresh new thinking.

"Innovation is thriving, allowed and even encouraged in the public sector despite cost pressures and increased demand on services.

"The increasing number of entries to the IPANZ Gen-i Public Sector Excellence Awards really show that being innovative and excellent has truly become part of the rhythm in the public sector," concludes Quin.

About IPANZ

The Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ) is a voluntary, non-profit organisation, committed to promoting informed debate on public sector issues. Its membership comprises a wide range of professional advisers and managers in the public sector, university students and teachers, and interested people from the private sector. The Institute arranges regular seminars for its members and interested people to provide information on and facilitate discussion of important questions of public policy and management. IPANZ publishes the quarterly 'Public Sector' journal.

The strategic goals of IPANZ include:

promoting professional standards for public service

being an authoritative professional commentator on

issues affecting the public sector

providing professional development for its members

developing the profession of public service among

young professionals and recruits to the public sector.

For more information on IPANZ, visit www.ipanz.org.nz or the awards, visit www.ipanzawards.org.nz.