ACT Government award programs

The ACT Honour Walk recognises individuals or groups from across all categories of endeavour that have made significant and sustained past contributions to the ACT. ACT Honour Walk recipients are publicly acknowledged with a plaque on the ACT Honour Walk in Ainslie Place in Civic.

Any person or group who has been a leading player in shaping the city of Canberra, or who has made a significant contribution to the Canberra community over a sustained period of time, is eligible for recognition on the ACT Honour Walk.

The Canberra Citizen of the Year Award recognises and celebrates the community's most outstanding contributors. It is open to a person or group in any field, including the arts, education, community work and business.

The CBR Sport Awards are Canberra’s premier sporting awards. The Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of Canberra’s top athletes and teams, while also recognising those behind-the-scenes special contributors that make our local sporting community so great.

The Chief Minister's Canberra Gold Award recognises the unique contribution made by individuals and groups who have chosen to make a long-term commitment to the ACT. Through this award, the ACT Government celebrates this dedication by honouring individuals and groups who have resided or operated in the ACT for fifty years of more. The Canberra Gold Awards are distributed each year as part of Canberra's birthday celebrations.

The purpose of the Order of Australia is to recognise, by national honour, those who have made outstanding contributions that benefit their communities, and ultimately our country.

It also serves to define, encourage and reinforce community standards, national aspirations and ideals by acknowledging actions and achievement and thereby identifying role models at all levels and in all spheres of the community.

The ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards are a prestigious event in the ACT’s annual business calendar acknowledging the innovation, hard work and success of businesses, large and small, in reaching new markets through exporting their products or services.

The ACT NAIDOC Business of the Year Award recognises the range of great Indigenous owned and operated businesses in the ACT. The awards are open to any business that is at least 50 percent Indigenous owned, is registered and operating as a business in the ACT.

The annual ACT Scientist of the Year Award recognises the achievements of an 'up and coming' scientist with significant potential to continue to achieve in their chosen field of research.

The award is accompanied by $30,000 prize money.

The ACT Training Awards are an annual celebration of the efforts and achievements of those involved in vocational education and training (VET) in the ACT. They recognise, reward and promote the training efforts and success of apprentices, trainees and VET students, as well as the teachers/trainers, registered training organisations (RTOs), industry associations and employers in the ACT. Winners in aligned categories will go on to compete for national success at the Australian Training Awards.

The Canberra Region Tourism Awards provide an opportunity to showcase the best of our region’s tourism operators as well as promote, encourage and reward tourism excellence. The Awards are open to all tourism businesses and suppliers to the tourism industry and serve to demonstrate the value of tourism to Canberra and the region.

Community Services Directorate

The ACT Chief Minister's Inclusion Awards acknowledge the outstanding achievements of businesses, organisations and individuals who have clearly demonstrated their commitment to encourage, welcome and support people with a disability in their workplace, business and community.

The ACT Multicultural Awards acknowledge those individuals, organisations, educational providers, government, businesses and the media who help make tremendous contributions to the ACT community through their work across the spectrum of multicultural activities – in arts, sports, schools, health, information provision, law, human rights, the environment and more.

The ACT Women’s Awards honour individual women who have demonstrated courage and have made an outstanding contribution to the lives of women and girls in the ACT. Awards are made in the categories of ACT Woman of the Year, ACT Senior Woman of the Year, and ACT Young Woman of the Year.

The Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Awards recognise young people who have made a contribution through their personal endeavours', or who have been actively involved in the ACT community. The Awards provide an opportunity to recognise young people who have made significant contributions in community work, sport, education, science, culture, the arts or the environment. The Awards are open to young people aged between 12 and 25.

Education Directorate

ACT Public Education Excellence Awards

The ACT Public Education Excellence Awards were introduced in 2010 to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievement in public education in the ACT. The Awards acknowledge principals, teachers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education leadership, support staff, partnerships and volunteers.

Environment, Planning and Sustainability Development Directorate

Climate Choices Business Awards

The Climate Choices Business Awards recognise the achievements of Canberra businesses and public event organisers who are making an outstanding contribution to sustainability and climate action in our community.

The Awards celebrate exemplary sustainability practises across energy and water usage, waste management, transport and biodiversity.

Climate Choices Schools Awards

The Climate Choices Schools Awards is an annual event that recognises and celebrates climate action and sustainability champions in ACT schools.

The Awards celebrate excellence in sustainable management of resources across the Sustainable Schools Program focus areas – energy, water, biodiversity, waste, transport and curriculum integration.

Justice and Community Safety

Australian Bravery Decorations

Australian Bravery Decorations recognise acts of bravery by members of the community who selflessly put themselves in jeopardy to protect the lives or property of others. Anyone may nominate another person for a bravery decoration.

There are four levels of decoration: the Cross of Valour, Star of Courage, Bravery Medal and Commendation for Brave Conduct. There is also the Group Bravery Citation, an award for a group of people involved in a single accident.

Health Directorate

The annual ACT Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards acknowledge excellence and honour the achievements and contribution of nurses and midwives to the health and wellbeing of our community.

The ACT Quality in Healthcare Awards recognise innovations that improve the delivery of safe, quality care within the ACT. The Awards acknowledge the dedicated work of health professionals, those working in the health sector, consumers and students within the ACT in undertaking activities which enhance health care services and patient outcomes whilst celebrating the collaborative efforts teams have made to improve the experience of healthcare in the ACT.

The Allied Health Excellence Awards recognise the achievements of allied health assistants, clinicians, researchers, educators and managers.