13 September 2019
Healthy Homes Initiative wins Prime Minister’s ‘Spirit of Service’ Award
The Prime Minister’s Award in the first annual Spirit of Service Awards has been won by the Ministry of Health and five agencies who teamed up on the Healthy Homes Initiative.
The Spirit of Service Awards celebrate outstanding public services delivering great outcomes for New Zealand.
The Prime Minister’s Award is the overall winner and is selected from the winners of the Better Outcomes, Service
Excellence, Māori/Crown Relationship and Leadership in Governance categories.
The Healthy Homes Initiative was a collaborative effort led by the Ministry of Health with Housing New Zealand, Ministry
of Social Development, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and
Auckland Council.
The initiative aims to help reduce hospitalisations by helping to create warm, dry, healthy homes for low-income
families. It has helped to do this by delivering more than 46,000 housing interventions to 16,000 families.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Healthy Homes Initiative is exactly what public service is all about; delivering
great results with heart.
“Public servants do great work every day to make New Zealand better and improve the wellbeing of New Zealanders and this
is a great example of identifying a role for government to find solutions,” said the Prime Minister.
“Whenever I work with public servants, I sense a common purpose and belonging. The Public Service values that spirit of
service to the community that I have always believed in.”
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins said the Awards celebrate world-class leadership, outstanding public services
and cross-agency initiatives underpinned by a spirit of service.
Mr Hipkins said the Public Service is a place where a good idea can touch the lives of millions of New Zealanders.
“Public services protect the vulnerable and help to improve everyone’s quality of life,” said Mr Hipkins.
“They are essential to our economic development and prosperity. They strengthen our communities and bind us together as
a society. Each recipient of these Spirit of Service Awards has demonstrated passion and commitment every day.”
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes said it was important to acknowledge and reward excellence in the Public
Service.
“I really believe in the power of awards and recognition,” said Mr Hughes.
“Public servants go about their work quietly without expecting any thanks. They work hard for New Zealanders. They come
to work wanting to do the best job they can for their communities. The select few who go the extra mile and make a real
difference to their country deserve recognition and reward.”
The Spirit of Service Awards
AwardWinnersBetter Outcomes Award
Te Tohu mō ngā Hua E Pai Ake Ana
Ministry of Health, with Housing New Zealand, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and Auckland CouncilService Excellence Award
Te Tohu mō te Ratonga WhakahirahiraTasman District Council, Nelson City Council, Nelson Tasman Civil Defence and Emergency Management, Fire and Emergency
New Zealand, Department of Conservation and New Zealand PoliceMāori Crown Relationships Award
Te Tohu mō te Tūhonotanga a Ngāi Māori me te KaraunaMinistry of Social Development and Ngāti PāhauweraLeadership in Governance Award
Te Tohu mō te Kaiārahi Mahi WhakahaereMinistry of Social Development and Ministry of HealthYoung Leader of the Year Award
Te Tohu mō te Kaiārahi Rangatahi o te TauJade Kinghazel, Operations Manager, Whakatane Whirinaki Opotiki District, Department of Conservation
Lifetime Achievement Award
Te Tohu Oranga AngitūPasimaca Osment, Corrections Officer, Department of CorrectionsPrime Minister’s Award
Te Tohu a te PirimiaMinistry of Health, Housing New Zealand, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and Auckland Council
ends