I am pleased to announce nominations are now open for the 2005 Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships, which recognise the outstanding social benefits achieved by business and community groups working together.
Businesses working in partnership with community organisations are tackling social and environmental issues, which impact upon our wellbeing as a nation. In doing so they are also strengthening their own businesses.
Community organisations, in turn, are becoming more adept at harnessing business resources and finding new ways to lift their profile in the wider community. Together they are building our capacity as a nation.
The Awards celebrate the efforts and achievements of the most successful business and community partnerships and the valuable contributions they make towards a more innovative, cohesive and sustainable nation.
More than 1000 partnerships have been nominated for the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships since they began in 1999 and past national winners have come from across Australia in both metropolitan and regional areas.
Each year the partnerships are becoming more ambitious, stronger and more sustainable and importantly the range of issues they are addressing is having a greater positive impact on the community.
The diversity of partnerships is recognised by separate Awards, which may be made to small, medium and large businesses in each state or territory. Multi-state Awards may also be made to partnerships operating in more than one state. State and Territory winners will also compete for a National Award in each business category.
In addition to these Awards, three Special Awards will be presented to: The business that, through its partnership, has had the greatest positive impact on its community; The media organisation that has most prominently and positively reported on community business partnerships and corporate social responsibility; and An outstanding partnership that has been operating for more than five years.
Winners will receive their Awards at a special gala ceremony and dinner in Melbourne. Each winning partnership will receive $10,000 for the partnership's community program or project. 2004 award winners will be announced in Brisbane on April 13.
Nomination forms and further information are available at: www.partnerships.gov.au or Freecall 1800 102 014.