Minister for Health and Wellbeing - Excellence in Public Health Awards

Each year, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing Excellence in Public Health Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to public health by local councils across South Australia.

The Awards showcase councils' essential and often unseen roles in protecting, preserving and promoting health in their local areas, through public health action.

Winning and highly commended councils in two categories – regional and metropolitan – are selected by a panel of public health experts.

On Friday 22 November, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing – Excellence in Public Health Awards acknowledged and celebrated the following winning councils.

Thank you to all the councils that submitted a nomination for this year’s Awards.

Metropolitan council winner for 2024

The City of Adelaide for the Project Night Light initiative



Dr Jane Lomax Smith AM, Lord Mayor of Adelaide, the Hon Mira El Dannawi, MLC; Professor Nicola Spurrier PSM, Mayor Dean Johnson, DC Kimba and LGA President, Michael Sedgman, City of Adelaide.

Regional councils winners for 2024

For the first time in 2024, we have a tie for winning regional council:

  • District Council of Orroroo Carrieton for ‘Making a splash for health longevity’
  • Alexandrina Council, The Town of Gawler, The City of Onkaparinga Council, The City of Playford, The City of Port Lincoln, Renmark Paringa Council, and the District Council of Yankalilla for their collaboration - ‘Building Regulatory Efficiencies for Sustainable Onsite Wastewater System Management
Professor Nicola Spurrier PSM, the Hon Mira El Dannawi, MLC; Mayor Grant Chapman & Paul Simpson, DC Orroroo Carrieton: Mayor Dean Johnson DC Kimba (LGA President).

Mayor Keith Parkes, Alexandrina Council; Kaylie Hall, Town of Gawler; Tim Woods, Arris, Roxanne Clark, Environmental Health Australia; Melinda Coleshill, Town of Gawler; Professor Nicola Spurrier PSM; the Hon Mira El Dannawi, MLC; Tricia Franks, City of Onkaparinga; Brigitte Schultz, City of Onkaparinga; Dr Michael Short, Arris; Nikki Page, City of Onkaparinga; Michelle Foster, Alexandrina Council; Rebecca Burton, Environmental Health Australia; Mayor Dean Johnson DC, Kimba (LGA President), Mayor Moira Were AM, City of Onkaparinga; Mayor Karen Redman, Town of Gawler; Mayor Darryl Houston, DC Yankalilla.

Highly Commended certificates for 2024

Highly Commended certificates are awarded for meritorious contributions to public health outcomes by local councils. The 2024 recipients are:

The City of Onkaparinga Council, for Living Well Matters and the City of Victor Harbor, for the Active Wellbeing Project



The Hon Mira El Dannawi, MLC; Professor Nicola Spurrier PSM; Mayor Moira Were, AM, Phu Nguyen, Judith Lowe, Maria Shialis, City of Onkaparinga. Tanya Murphy, Leann Symons, Mayor Moira Jenkins, City of Victor Harbor; Mayor Dean Johnson DC Kimba (LGA President).

Further information

For further information about the Excellence in Public Health Awards, please email PublicHealthAct@sa.gov.au or contact Strategic Engagement and Policy on (08) 8226 7100.