Previous Awards winners

Page content: 2006 Public Health Awards | 2005 Public Health Awards | 2004 Public Health Awards

This page contains information on previous award winners and ceremonies. A full list of award winners from 1997 to 2005 is available for download below.

Public Health Award winners - 1997—2005 (47kb, pdf)

2006 Public Health Awards

The 2006 Public Health Awards for Excellence and Innovation were presented on Tuesday 5 September by the Minister for Health, the Hon. Bronwyn Pike MP.

The Awards recognise and celebrate the significant contributions made each year by Victoria’s public health community. This year marked the tenth anniversary of the Awards, which have recognised close to 60 outstanding Victorian public health projects over the past decade.

Awards were given for both excellence and innovation in three categories, reflecting integral components of public health.

The winners are:

For full details, see 2006 Awards winners.

2005 Public Health Awards

The 2005 Public Health Awards for Excellence and Innovation were announced on Tuesday 8 November by the Minister for Health, the Hon. Bronwyn Pike MP. The Awards recognise innovation, use of evidence-based approaches, capacity to enhance public health, strategic partnerships, quality processes, communication of findings and impact on public health.

Awards were given in three categories, reflecting integral components of public health:

• Public Health Research
• Public Health Programs
• Public Health Spotlight. (The theme of the 2005 Public Health Spotlight category is promoting physical activity and healthy eating).

In each of the three categories awards are given for:

• Excellence: recognising quality
• Innovation: recognising promising new work.

Public Health Research

Winner for Excellence:

Australian Gulf War Veterans Health Study
Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health, Monash University

The Australian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study investigated whether Gulf War veterans were at increased risk of developing psychological disorders and physical conditions related to the neurological system, respiratory system, chronic fatigue, or multi-symptom clusters consistent with ‘Gulf War syndrome’.

Australian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study (22kb, pdf)

Winner for Innovation:

Men in Australia Telephone Survey
Andrology Australia, Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash Medical Centre

The Men in Australia Telephone Survey (MATeS) is the largest Australian study to survey men’s health issues. The study explored the reproductive health of 5,990 middle-aged and older Australian men (40+) and provides, for the first time, prevalence rates of male reproductive disorders in Australia, which until now have been based on estimates from international studies.

Men in Australia Telephone Survey (22kb, pdf)

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Public Health Programs

Joint Winners for Excellence:

Pilot of voluntary HIV Sentinel Surveillance System for men who have sex with men
Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health Research, Burnet Institute

This pilot is the first extensive, linked HIV sentinel surveillance system implemented in Australia and strengthens the existing system of passive HIV surveillance. As part of the pilot, doctors collected demographic, testing history, and sexual risk behaviour data from clients not known to have HIV undergoing HIV testing. This system provides timely information about risk behaviour and HIV test outcomes.

HIV Sentinel Surveillance System for men who have sex with men (22kb, pdf)

Don’t just sit there
PapScreen Victoria/Cancer Council Victoria

The Don’t just sit there campaign targeted women most at risk of cervical cancer: older under-screened women, and women who have never been screened. An evidence-based approach was used throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the campaign which yielded impressive results: on average, an additional 535 women had a Pap test each working day during the campaign period.

Don’t just sit there (30kb, pdf)

Winner for Innovation:

Snake condoms initiative
Marie Stopes Australia

The Snake condoms initiative tackles serious sexual health issues amongst Indigenous teenagers by improving access to condoms and making them more culturally relevant and appealing to the Indigenous community. The initiative piloted in Mildura for a three-month period and was a huge success. Sales of Snake condoms exceeded all expectations and the public health impact was dramatic.

Snake condoms initiative (24kb, pdf)

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Public Health Spotlight

The Public Health Spotlight is supported in 2005 by Go for your life

Winner for Excellence:

Be Active Eat Well
Colac Area Health

Be Active Eat Well promotes healthy eating and physical activity, with a focus on children aged two to 12 years. The project implements a unique ‘multi-setting, multi-strategy approach’, successfully combining evidence-based practice with community needs, and producing exciting outcomes. The project works with children, their parents and schools, local retailers, community groups, sporting clubs, health services and the local shire to address healthy eating and physical activity in all children’s settings.

Be Active Eat Well (31kb, pdf)

Winner for Innovation:

Taste 4 Health
Glen Eira City Council, Public Health Unit

Taste 4 Health is improving the health of people in the City of Glen Eira by increasing the availability of healthy food choices in restaurants, cafes and take-away food outlets. Involving partnerships between Glen Eira Council and dietitians from Caulfield Community Health Service, Bentleigh Bayside Community Health Service and the International Diabetes Institute, Taste 4 Health is designed to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer.

Taste 4 Health (22kb, pdf)

2004 Public Health Awards

The Awards were given in three categories, reflecting integral components of public health:

• Public health research
• Public health capacity building
• Public health programs.

They recognise originality and innovation, use of evidence-based approaches, capacity to enhance public health, strategic partnerships and alliances, quality processes for implementation and analysis, achievement of objectives, communication of findings and impact on public health.

To read all about the 2004 winning organisations and their projects, click on the pdf below:

Victorian Public Health Awards for Excellence and Innovation 2004 (158kb, pdf)

2004 Public Health Awards Winners

The annual Public Health Awards continue to recognise the high level of expertise across the Victorian public health sector and the positive contributions made by many individuals and organisations.

Presented by the Minister for Health, Hon. Bronwyn Pike, on 8 November at Federation Square; winners were awarded with trophies in recognition of their achievements.

The Awards are categorised into three groups: public health research, public health capacity building and public health programs. Within each group, trophies were awarded for Excellence and for Innovation. Projects that were Highly Commended received Certificates.

Pictured: Representatives of the winning teams, partnerships and organisations with the Minister for Health, the Hon. Bronwyn Pike (5th from left, front row), at the Public Health Awards ceremony at Federation Square.

Winners in the Research Category were:

• Excellence Award – The National Stroke Research Institute in collaboration with The Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University for the project Epidemiological Studies of Intracerebral Haemorrhage.

• Innovation Award – Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, University of Melbourne for Project i.

• Highly Commended – Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre for the project Pathways: A review of the Victorian drug treatment service system

Winners in the Capacity Building Category were:

• Excellence Award – The collaboration between The School of Psychology, Deakin University; Australian Unity; Australian National University and The University of Sydney for the project The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index

• Innovation Award – Cobaw Community Health Service for the project 'WayOut' Central Victorian Youth & Sexual Diversity Project.

• Highly Commended – Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Monash University for the Doctoral Training Program.

Winners in the Programs Category were:

• Excellence Award – Vision 2020 Australia for The Vision Initiative.

• Innovation Award (Joint Winner) – The collaboration between Maribyrnong City Council; WestNet; and Western Region Health Centre for the Braystone fruit and vegetable shop front and mobile van project.

• Innovation Award (Joint Winner) – The collaboration between North Yarra Community Health and City of Yarra for The Café Meals Program.

• Highly Commended – The Centre for Adolescent Health for Young People's Health Service.

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