Queensland Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd and Corrective Services Commissioner Paul Stewart APM have recognised individual and team distinction at the 2024 Commissioner’s Awards for Excellence in Brisbane.

The QCS Commissioner’s Awards for Excellence are now in their sixth year across five categories: Safety, Collaboration, Empowerment, Respect and Accountability.

Collaboration – Civil Safety Partnership with Townsville Correctional Centre

The Civil Safety team were honoured to take out the top award in the category of Collaboration for our partnership with the Townsville Correctional Centre. The partnership between Townsville Correctional Centre Low Custody and Civil Safety Townsville is recognised for providing real workforce style training to First Nations prisoners, ensuring job readiness upon release.

On winning the award, Civil Safety trainer John said:

“This is a great outcome for Civil Safety as well as all parties involved in the program. It’s really been an amazing team effort, with great support from our own staff, our strategic alliance with On Common Country, as well as key people within the Townsville Correctional Centre such as George and Sonia and the prisoners themselves. Between 2023-24 we delivered over 1841 units of competency and 121 qualifications have been obtained, and these programs help the prisoners in many different ways – from changing their mindset and approach to learning, to improving their literacy skills, and ultimately providing them with the skills, confidence and competencies that will increase their chance of employment when they leave prison.”

 Corrective Services Minister, Nikki Boyd, said:

“The distinguished winners of this year’s Commissioner’s Awards for Excellence have without exception raised the bar on building and maintaining safer Queensland communities.

“Working on the Corrective Services frontline isn’t an easy job, it can be confronting and challenging, and that’s what makes these awards for career excellence so important.

Mr Paul Stewart APM, Commissioner, Queensland Corrective Services, said:

“Keeping communities safe, the welfare of our officers and prisoner rehabilitation is the focus of our work in corrections and this year’s award recipients have delivered on those key areas with fortitude and excellence.

“I commend all our award recipients for their service. It’s important we celebrate the individuals, teams and partnerships who have excelled over the past 12 months and appreciate the contribution their work is making in our communities safer.

Congratulations to all (very deserving) winners of the 2024 QCS awards program for the amazing work you are doing on the frontlines