- The Western Australian Museum has won the 2011 Premier’s Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management
- The successful project Exploring the Marine Biodiversity of Northern WA is a partnership between the WA Museum and Woodside Energy Ltd
- The project was also selected as the winner in the Managing Environment category
The Western Australian Museum’s Exploring the Marine Biodiversity of Northern WA project was announced as the winner of the 2011 Premier’s Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management at the State Reception Centre last night.
The Premier presented the award to WA Museum Chief Executive Officer Alec Coles and project partner Woodside Energy, represented by Jill Hoffmann, Vice President, Environment.
In accepting the award Mr Coles said this honour was acknowledgement of the longstanding 13-year partnership between Woodside and the WA Museum that has seen ground-breaking research into the marine biodiversity of the Dampier Archipelago and the Kimberley region.
“The partnership between the WA Museum and Woodside demonstrates how effective cooperation between industry and science and cultural organisations can deliver real outcomes for environmental management, leading to the conservation of our State’s unique marine biodiversity for future generations.”
The project with Woodside began in 1998 and since then it has identified 10,700 species, including the discovery of 495 new species that have never before been recorded anywhere in the world.
“In addition to the findings being published, importantly this work has been presented to the community through the creation of four major exhibitions, an internationally released documentary, a suite of educational and curriculum based resources available to schools and the development of two websites,” Mr Coles said.
Reef image from Albert Reef - Station 79
Image by Clay Bryce
Image copyright of WA Museum.
Jill Hoffman said Woodside is proud of its 13 year partnership with the WA Museum, which is contributing to the scientific knowledge of Northern Western Australia.
“The valuable environmental knowledge of the partnership is contributing towards informed decision making in the areas of business, conservation policies and in the assessment of heritage values,” said Ms Hoffmann.
Mr Coles said this project is an example of the world-class research the WA Museum undertakes and he was pleased that the Museum was recognised as the leading example of excellence in management practice in the WA public service.
Reef image from Mavis Reef - Station 79
Image by Clay Bryce
Image copyright of WA Museum.
In addition to winning the overall Premier’s Award, the project Exploring the Marine Biodiversity of Northern WA was also the winner in the Managing the Environment category which recognises projects that seek to preserve Western Australia’s natural assets and the environment for future generations, whilst balancing the need for development with the responsible and efficient use of resources.
Fact file
- Project has involved more than 100 scientists from 25 countries, 19 international museums, 42 universities, 16 Australian government agencies and 19 industry and private partners.
- Read the Premier’s statement at: http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx?ItemId=146165&
- Visit the WA Museum website and see videos of fieldwork in the Kimberley at: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/kimberley/team/
Denise Johnson
Western Australian Museum
9212 3860
0414 381 761
denise.johnson@museum.wa.gov.au
