PSA members were heavily represented in the winners and finalists of this year’s Health and Safety Representative of the Year Awards in Wellington on 4 June.
The awards are organised by the Government Health and Safety Lead – a small team providing practical health and safety leadership support to chief executives, senior leaders and health and safety teams at government agencies.
The awards celebrate the amazing work that health and safety representatives do to keep Aotearoa workplaces healthy and safe.
THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY REPS
Health and safety reps are one of the strongest levers that workers can use to implement change in the workplace. Your employer has a responsibility to ensure you have a healthy and safe work environment.
Your health and safety rep is how you and your colleagues can hold your employer accountable. They are elected officials, voted into the position by their coworkers.
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of this year’s awards. We also want to recognise all the hard-working health and safety reps we have across our membership.
2026 HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR
Catherina “Kat” Kimiangatau | Ministry of Justice
Kat was the individual winner for her work as the regional health and safety rep supporting 66 representatives across Auckland and Northland.
She has strengthened communication and consistency through initiatives like the Pulse Check newsletter, while building strong working relationships with managers, business partners and other representatives to improve shared learning and coordination.
At Manukau District Court, Kat leads local health and safety work, maintains risk registers and is a trusted point of contact for staff. Her practical, people-focused approach has strengthened health, safety and wellbeing across her region.
2026 HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Counties Manukau health and safety rep team | Kāinga Ora
The Counties Manukau health and safety rep team won the team awards for the work they have done to improve safety, engagement and wellbeing across their region through practical, collaborative initiatives.
They established a bi-monthly forum for reps, health and safety leadership and staff that work with the public to strengthen capability, transparency and shared learning. They also revitalised communication with monthly online hui using relatable local content.
The team also created a year-round health and safety calendar and a Teams Connect platform to support planning, information sharing and collaboration between sites.
Their work extended to emergency readiness, business continuity and Counties Manukau’s first Compliance Week, which achieved full staff participation.
Together, they have built a more connected, consistent and proactive safety culture.
2026 INDIVIDUAL FINALISTS
Avantika Masand | Ministry for Primary Industries
Avantika was recognised as a finalist for the work she has done to strengthen health and safety in the Aquatics Team and wider directorate through practical improvements to PPE, equipment and risk processes.
She has also championed respectful behaviour and mental wellbeing, helping build stronger safety capability and consistency across teams.
Lincoln Marshall | Kāinga Ora
Lincoln was recognised as a finalist for the work he has done to strengthen everyday safety culture through calm, practical leadership, clear communication and consistent follow-through.
His approachable style encourages staff to raise risks and helped embed health and safety as a normal, supported part of daily work.
Robyn Dewhurst | Department of Conservation
Robyn was recognised as a finalist for the work she has done to strengthen health and safety culture through proactive, inclusive leadership that improved engagement, accountability and capability across her team.
Her work has helped ensure staff voices are heard and supported safer, healthier ways of working.
Craig Mackey | Department of Corrections
Craig was recognised as a finalist for the work he has done to provide steady, inclusive health and safety leadership – strengthening collaboration, wellbeing initiatives and site processes.
His practical approach and operational experience have helped improve participation and emergency readiness.
2026 TEAM FINALISTS
Donna Williams-Stewart and Sharmla David | Land Information New Zealand
Donna and Sharmla were both recognised as team finalists for running a successful wellbeing initiative that brought practical health, safety and wellbeing support to kaimahi.
Through strong planning, collaboration and leadership, they helped embed wellbeing more deeply into workplace culture.
GETTING INVOLVED
It’s important to know who your health and safety rep is. If you don’t have one at your workplace, work with your colleagues, other members, delegates and organiser to hold an election to appoint one. Once elected, the rep must complete a training course with NZQA.
Once qualified, your rep can issue a Provisional Improvement Notice, or PIN – a written notice requiring your employer to remedy a situation that poses a health and safety risk.
If you have an interest in health and safety and would like to be involved in the PSA Health and Safety Network, please email your contact details to healthandsafety@psa.org.nz to be added to our mailing list.
