Destination NSW was among the winners at this week’s inaugural 2024 Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (DCITHS) Staff Excellence Awards.

More than 100 nominations were received for the awards from across the portfolio, with Destination NSW, Office of Sport, NSW Institute of Sport and Venues NSW winning the Delivering For Our Customers and Sectors (Team) category.

DCITHS Secretary Elizabeth Mildwater said: “As our judging panel noted, there was so much wonderful work represented across the finalists, from very large whole-of-government initiatives, down to grassroots community projects and the teams and individuals who do this work.

"The breadth of nominations also makes it clear that our people across the portfolio are delivering great outcomes for the people of NSW every day.”

Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said: “This recognition celebrates our work on the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, where we were joint winners in the “Delivering for Our Customers” category.

“From securing Sydney as a host city to bringing the city alive with vibrant celebrations, our combined efforts transformed the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 into an unforgettable and unrivalled experience for fans.

"We showcased NSW’s spirit, enhanced the atmosphere at the stadiums and created engaging experiences across the city, ensuring that visitors left with lasting memories.

“The award also recognised our strong emphasis on collaboration, both internally and across NSW Government and industry, where we partnered with the Office of Sport, Venues NSW, Transport for NSW and many more to demonstrate what’s possible when we unite with a shared purpose and vision.”

The full list of winning individuals and teams at the DCITHS Excellence Awards:

Delivering for our customers and sectors (individual)

WINNER: Tracy Woods (Office of Sport)

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Carmen Taing (State Library of NSW)

Delivering for our customers and sectors (team)

WINNER: FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 (Destination NSW, Office of Sport, Venues NSW, NSW Institute of Sport)

WINNER: Greyhound Nose Scanning Technology Initiative (Greyhound Welfare Integrity Commission)

HIGHLY COMMENDED: LGBTQIA+ Youth Camp at Jindabyne and Lake Burrendong (Office of Sport)

Delivering for our community (individual)

WINNER: Helen Johnson (Powerhouse)

Delivering for our community (team)

WINNER: Qtopia - Sydney’s first LGBTQIA+ museum (Create NSW)

Delivering for our people (individual)

WINNER: Belinda Allport (Hospitality and Racing)

Delivering for our people (team)

WINNER: 2024 NAIDOC Week event (DCITHS Corporate Services)

Young Professional Award (individual)

WINNER: Cherokee Lord (State Library of NSW)

Secretary’s Award for Excellence

WINNER: Machinery of Government changes (DCITHS Corporate Services)

WINNER: Vibrancy Reforms (Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner and Hospitality and Racing)