DPI’s drought support workers take out top Premier’s award

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI)’s drought support worker took out top honours in last night’s NSW Premier’s Awards for their Farm Family Gathering initiative, NSW Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said today.

The major award, the State Plan Award, was won by the drought support worker team for their Iand Drought Related Workshop program. The program also won a gold award in the category of Delivering Locally.

Minister Macdonald paid tribute to the drought workers team for their efforts, which included running more than 2,290 gathering and workshop events for drought affected communities since the current drought began in 2002.

"This team of dedicated men and women have spent hours travelling to some of the hardest hit drought communities in NSW to run these farm family gathering events which have provided important relief from the stress and heartache of drought," he said.

"Through their networks, they have also ensured a range of other agencies are on hand at these events to offer farming families a range of information to help them access assistance and other support measures.

"This is worthy recognition for a team of staff who have worked tirelessly to coordinate these Farm Family Gathering events in the communities that need them most."

In what was a successful night with a total of five awards, DPI staff also took out prizes in three other categories, with recognition going to the equine influenza response team, Forests NSW and an aquatic habitat rehabilitation team.

DPI Director-General Dr Richard Sheldrake said the DPI’s Equine Influenza Eradication Campaign won a gold award in the category of Growing Prosperity Across NSW for successfully eradicating EI from NSW.

"This award recognised the whole of Government response which was coordinated by DPI. The speed and effectiveness of the NSW eradication campaign has been credited with reducing this pain - by up to $590 million."

Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Program won a gold award in the category Environment for Living. This award recognised their achievement of on-ground improvements in native vegetation and biodiversity associated with rivers and coastal waterways throughout NSW.

The Tumut Containerised Seedling Nursery Facility won a silver award in the category of Growing Prosperity across NSW. In 2007 Forests NSW planned, designed and constructed the first stage of a new, containerised nursery in Tumut.

The Blowering Nursery design maximises efficiency of production, and the number of seedlings it can produce, along with water saving technologies.

(Pics available)