Comcare National Work Health and Safety Awards

Joint winner

Inland Rail Pty Ltd

Journey Management System Application

Inland Rail’s Journey Management System (JMS) mobile app is designed to enhance road safety for workers on the 1,600 km freight rail line between Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria.

The agency identified motor vehicle incidents as a primary work health and safety risk for the project and developed the JMS application to strengthen controls across its operations.

Replacing a manual, paper-based process, the app streamlined the monitoring of high-risk journeys with capabilities such as an automated check-in process for drivers, audible reminders for fatigue breaks, and real-time tracking of vehicles.

Since its launch in 2024, the JMS application has provided greater visibility and insights into high-risk journeys across Inland Rail’s rural and remote locations, with significant safety improvements.

Category 2 – Recovery at and Return to Work Award

Winner

Australia Post

Early intervention mental health program

Recognising the complexity and cost of psychological injury claims in their workforce, Australia Post’s Rehabilitation Team introduced a mental health specialist role to redesign early intervention processes. Psychological claims, representing 7.2% of total claims, cost 1.3 times more than physical injuries.

The specialist role applied a biopsychosocial approach to support employees from incident report to claim determination, offering matched care services, simplified communication and leader training. The objective was to prevent psychological distress from escalating into serious psychological injury and improve return to health and work outcomes through immediate and effective assistance.

The program is person-centred, focusing on sleep, nutrition, physical activity and social connection to build self-efficacy and recovery.

This initiative has dramatically improved recovery outcomes and employee experience. Analysis of 137 cases showed significant improvements in return to work, including a 55% reduction in unfit-for-work certifications and a 152% increase in employees fit for full duties.

Category 3 – Impact and Contribution

Outstanding contribution by an individual

Winner

Chief Petty Officer Matthew Jacques, Royal Australian Navy

Chief Petty Officer Matthew Jacques, Senior Caterer at HMAS Coonawarra, has transformed safety culture within the Royal Australian Navy’s Hospitality and Catering department.

Upon identifying a lack of proactive safety engagement, Matthew initiated innovative measures including a bi-monthly digital safety magazine – created in his own time – which addresses WHS topics in a practical, engaging format.

His efforts have driven increased participation in Ship Safety Team meetings, rejuvenated safety responsibilities across ranks, and introduced initiatives like mental wellbeing walks and inclusive communication channels. This has fostered open dialogue and improved hazard reporting, and significantly reduced injuries and near misses.

Not only has Matthew independently upskilled himself with new digital communication tools, but his leadership has also earned praise from senior officers and positioned Coonawarra’s kitchen operations as the safest among Navy kitchens nationwide.

Outstanding contribution by a team

Winner

Driver Safety Campaign, Telstra

Telstra developed a strategic, cross-functional Driver Safety Campaign to address vehicle-related risks across its 2,500-vehicle fleet.

Following a series of high-potential incidents, Telstra’s Global Network and Technology, InfraCo, Telstra Fleet and Safety, Security and Wellbeing teams collaborated to analyse root causes and identify driver behaviour as a key risk factor.

The campaign, aligned with National Road Safety Week and in partnership with road safety advocates SARAH Group, focused on themes like distraction, fatigue and speed, using tailored resources and personal storytelling to foster behavioural change and reinforce safety as a shared responsibility.

Thousands of workers engaged with the campaign, which includes weekly themes and resources, podcast interviews and practical safety tips. Early feedback indicates a shift in attitudes and growing awareness of driving risks. The initiative has laid a strong foundation for long-term cultural change, with Telstra exploring ongoing integration of the campaign into future safety programs.

Category 4 – Health and Safety Representative

Joint winner

Tamsin Anspach, Electorate Office of Senator the Hon Penny Wong

Tamsin has played a leading role in advancing worker safety and cultural reform in parliamentary workplaces, particularly through the implementation of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Set the Standard report.

As a Health and Safety Representative (HSR), she has contributed to the Work Health and Safety Committee convened by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS), and the Independent Review of Resourcing in Parliamentarian Offices.

Tamsin has led discussions on practical safety improvements, including risk registers and early intervention policies, in response to rising threats and violence in electorate offices. Her collaborative approach with PWSS and consistent representation of worker views has helped shape safer, more responsive workplace practices.

Key achievements include enhancing the health and safety committee terms of reference, supporting the establishment of PWSS and increasing worker engagement. Tamsin’s advocacy has given voice to those unable to speak up, driving meaningful change in complex and high-risk environments.

Joint winner

Siew Dyer, National Indigenous Australians Agency

Siew has demonstrated exceptional leadership in workplace health and safety at the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), addressing long-standing gaps in psychosocial hazard controls.

She collaborated with the Community and Public Sector Union to survey staff, leading to a 2021 report highlighting systemic risks. Her advocacy prompted NIAA to engage Deloitte for a comprehensive psychosocial risk assessment in 2023, and she pushed for participation in Comcare’s Proactive Inspection Program in 2025.

Siew’s efforts led to the development of over 220 position descriptions, 17 psychosocial hazard fact sheets, an Agency Risk Register, and ensuring WHS is considered in the Agency’s Census Action Plan. She actively promotes the HSR role, supports new nominees and engages sensitively with First Nations colleagues, advocating for systemic supports to address colonial load.

Her work has increased HSR engagement across the agency and driven a cultural shift toward prioritising health and safety. Siew’s commitment to collaboration, accountability, and meaningful change sets a benchmark for WHS advocacy in the public sector.

Category 5 – Judges’ choice

Metropolitan: Psychosocial Risk Management Framework, Western Sydney International Airport

With construction of the new international airport nearing completion, Western Sydney Airport Corporation is transitioning to operations, focusing on the customer experience through advanced technologies to accommodate domestic and international demand.

In response to the Australian Government approving a Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards, the airport identified limitations in enterprise-level risk assessments and developed a psychosocial risk management framework enabling individual engagement with different parts of the business.

The framework includes enhancing their Culture and Engagement Survey and creating a custom analysis tool to enable detailed hazard exposure assessments. Eight workshops involving 80 participants across 4 departments informed risk ratings, treatment strategies and systemic job design improvements.

The initiative embedded a repeatable plan-do-check-act approach, increasing awareness and ownership of psychosocial risks across all levels of the organisation.

Regional: Ric Selim, Australian Border Force/Department of Home Affairs

Ric Selim has led HSRs across the Australian Border Force’s National Marine Unit with unwavering commitment to improving safety for remote maritime workers, who often work at sea for periods of up to 35 days.

Following the tragic death of a colleague at sea in 2019, Ric’s leadership was instrumental in securing a Comcare WHS Improvement Notice and initiating an external review, with ongoing monitoring of the agency’s implementation of the review recommendations.

He has driven critical changes, including improved water and air quality protocols, rescue boat procedures and communicable disease plans. Ric advocated for presumptive PTSD compensation under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act – which was legislated in late 2023 – and ensured COVID safety plans were implemented.

Ric continues to mentor HSRs, engage with department stakeholders, and push for crew welfare improvements, including communication access for seafarers. His efforts have earned respect across the department and contributed to a cultural shift in safety engagement. Ric’s proactive, collaborative approach has made a lasting impact on the health, safety, and wellbeing of the Australian Border Force’s seagoing officers.