Our Gayle Smith Award for outstanding contribution to workplace health and safety will also be awarded to Health and Safety Representative Katrina Kiernan-Walker for her outstanding contribution to workplace health and safety at VEC.

Katrina is the joint 2024 winner, along with Cameron Phillips, for his outstanding advocacy and action on OHS at SERCO Traffic Camera Operations.

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Gayle Smith

Gayle Smith worked in various government departments and agencies in a career that spanned 25 years, however, most of her working life was with WorkSafe Victoria and its predecessors, where she made important contributions to occupational health and safety and community safety.

Gayle was also committed to improving workplace conditions through her involvement in the trade union movement.

For many years she was a workplace delegate and also filled the roles of secretary and treasurer on the local executive of CPSU at the Victorian WorkCover Authority.

I was fortunate to know and admire Gayle Smith, who worked tirelessly to improve OHS in Victorian workplaces and to represent her own colleagues’ interests as well.

CPSU has created an annual award in Gayle’s honour.

KAREN BATT
CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary