Gold Award for Business Excellence
The Gold Awards for Business Excellence recognise and encourage organisations whose leadership and innovations have progressed them beyond Management System Certification to leading examples of best practice.

Gold Award 2007
Gold Award 2006
Gold Award 2005
Gold Award 2004
Gold Award Pre 2004

National Laboratory Management Award
The National Laboratory Awards are available to laboratories which stand out above other laboratories for their exemplary, sustainable management activities.

The Australian Organisation for Quality (Queensland) Incorporated (AOQ-QLD™) is a stand alone member based not-for-profit association registered under the Queensland Associations Incorporation Act 1981 Section 15, Incorporation Number IA16979.

AOQ-QLD™ has always purported to be what it is, ie a networking organisation for quality management and Business Improvement individuals and organisations providing training, networking, consulting and auditing services.

The AOQ-QLD™ rescinded its membership of the Australian Organisation for Quality Inc (the National Body) in September 2007 because, in the short term, the Council could not see a reasonable return on investment for the dues that were levied and for the time spent in participating in the activities of the National Body.

AOQ-QLD™ is a very responsible and forward looking organisation, being at the forefront of improvement strategies for business and now has ventured into the energy conservation field, as this activity impinges on the sustainability of enterprises.

AOQ-QLD™ operates six Divisions: Aerospace, Aged Care, Entrepreneur, Regulated Research Development and Manufacturing (Pharmaceutical), Six Sigma and Software Systems Engineering. Regional Groups operate in Townsville and Rockhampton.

AOQ-QLD™ sponsors and mentors student academic activities at The University of Queensland and Griffith University and provides specialist external lecturers in all three Brisbane based universities. Conferences are co-hosted with The University of Queensland, Griffith University, QUT and Monash University.

AOQ-QLD™ conducts training in related fields on a regular basis, both in Queensland and other States. During 2008, the various Divisions of the Organisation will have co-hosted four conferences in Aged Care, Six Sigma, Pharmaceutical and general business. Plans are in place for six conferences in 2009. Conferences and Forums are conducted in a number of States.

AOQ-QLD™ owns the copyright to the Gold Award for Business Excellence, which it has developed over a decade and which is conducted as a State-by-State and National Event.

AOQ's National Gold Award for Quality 2005
National Sponsor

Platinum (State Sponsorship) Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

The Hon Mike Ahern, Patron of AOQ-QLD launched the Gold Award for Quality 2005 on 4th April, 2005. Mr Ahern noted that this is a National Award in keeping with AOQ's national presence. He thanked the sponsors for their involvement especially JAS-ANZ the Inaugural National Sponsor who have contributed again this year as have Sci-Qual International, BVQI, Quality Australia and World Conference Systems. We welcome Benchmark and Mercer Management, our new sponsors in 2005. The Hon Mike Ahern also noted that the National Gold Awardees in each category would be eligible to nominate for the Asia Pacific Quality Awards. Nominations for The Gold Award for Quality 2005 close 30th July, 2005. For the brochure and application form click here.

The AOQ has established "The Gold Award for Quality" to recognise and encourage organisations in the pursuit of excellence and sound Company-Wide Management.

The award has been in existence since 1996 as a State based award, but in 2004 the award went National and the Inaugural National Gold Awards for Quality were presented at Qualcon 2004 in Adelaide.

In 2005 the current sponsors are JAS-ANZ (National Sponsor), Sci-Qual International, Benchmark International, BVQI, Mercer Management, QA-The Business Improvement Journal and World Conference Systems.

The Gold Awards are annual awards offered at Regional and Statewide levels to organisations which excel in Quality Management. The Award Criteria focuses on the eight critical Quality Management elements. These elements are aligned with the Quality Management Principles outlined in ISO 9004:2000 and are:

1. Customer focus
2. Leadership
3. Involvement of People
4. Process approach
5. System approach to management
6. Continual improvement
7. Factual approach to decision making
8. Mutually beneficial supplier relations

More information and Entry Form is available at Gold Award Quality Application 2005 (this file is 600 Kb) or by contacting aoq"-at-"aoq.org.au.

Note replace "-at-" in email addresses with "@" to try and reduce spam.

Background

For more than a decade, annual Quality Awards Presentations have been made by AOQ (Queensland) Inc. Until 2000, the Gold Awards were a Queensland-wide award.

In 2000, the first regional award in Queensland was hosted by the Gold Coast, and Victoria presented both metropolitan and regional awards. The Gold Coast City Council and the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards Association partnered the AOQ (Queensland) Inc, in hosting the 2000 Gold Coast Regional Gold Awards.

An effective Third Party Accredited Quality Assurance System is a necessary requirement of applicants. The Gold Award for Quality focuses on:

• The awareness of Quality Management and Continual Business Improvement Process as underlying principles for achieving competitiveness and organisational success; and
• An understanding of all of the requirements for business excellence.

Examination Categories

Awards may be made to both Private and Public organisations in the service and manufacturing sectors, Not-for-Profit Organisations as well as Exporting Organisations.

The categories for 2005 are:

in one of the following groups

• Private For Profit
• Public Sector
• Not-for-Profit
• Exporting
• Aerospace

Award Levels

One Gold Award may be made in each of the above categories at both the State and National levels.

Runners-up in each category may receive a Silver Award at both the State and National levels.

For more information, please contact aoq"-at-"aoq.org.au

Note replace "-at-" in email addresses with "@" to try and reduce spam.

Enter NOW!!!! Click here for Brochure and Application Form

Gold Awardees for 2005

Queensland
Presented 26 th September by Michael Choi MP, Chair Small Business Advisory Council, Department Small Business, Information Technology, Policy and Multi-Cultural Affairs, Member for Capalaba, in the presence of The Hon Mike Ahern, Patron of Australian Organisation for Quality-Qld Inc, Scott Dunmore, Director, Sci-Qual International, Platinum Sponsor-Queensland and guests.

Large Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited
Steve Cappadonna (left) - Quality Assurance Co-ordinator - receiving the Queensland Award from Michael Choi MP and Mario Pennisi, President AOQ-QLD.

Large Organisation - Gold - Public Sector - Queensland Health Pathology and Scientific Services. Chris Hall (left) - Acting Executive Director - receiving the Queensland Award from Michael Choi MP and Mario Pennisi, President AOQ-QLD.

Medium Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Equity Transport Group. John DeMetre - Group General Manager - and Dianne Bowman (left) -National Quality Manager - receiving the Queensland Award from Michael Choi MP and Mario Pennisi, President AOQ-QLD.

Medium Organisation - Silver - Private Sector -Ai Scientific Pty Ltd. Richard Long (left) - Manufacturing and QA Manager - receiving the Queensland Award from Michael Choi MP and Mario Pennisi, President AOQ-QLD.

Small Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Hatzis Lawyers. George Hatzis (left) - Managing Director - receiving the Queensland Award from Michael Choi MP and Mario Pennisi, President AOQ-QLD.

Victoria
Presented 20th October, 2005 by Richard Garvey, President, Australian Institute of Management Victoria/Tasmania, in the presence of Tom Bednarowicz, Benchmark Certification, Platinum Sponsor - Victoria and guests.

Large Organisations - Gold - Not for Profit - Rural Ambulance Victoria . Doug Kimberley - CEO with the award

Small Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Paradigm Software Pty Ltd. Peter Meinig - Managing Director - receiving the award from Richard Garvey

Micro Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Orica's Emergency Response Service. Kate Rowe (Right) with the Award

National
The National Awards were presented on 1st November 2005 at a gala dinner co-hosted with Qualcon 2005. The awards were made by Tony Craven - CEO, JAS-ANZ, National Sponsor Gold Award for Quality in the presence of the National Council of Australian Organisation for Quality Inc and guests.

Large Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited. Graeme Keaton - Executive Manager Road Service - accepts the award from Tony Craven

Large Organisation - Gold - Public Sector - Queensland Health Pathology and Scientific Services. Peter Lewis-Hughes - Executive Director - receives the award from Tony Craven

Large Organisations - Gold - Not for Profit - Rural Ambulance Victoria. Doug Kimberley - CEO - accepts the award from Tony Craven

Medium Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Equity Transport Group. Diane Bowman - National Quality Manager and John Demetre - Group General Manager receive the award from Tony Craven.

Small Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Paradigm Software Pty Ltd. Peter Meinig - Managing Director - receives the award from Tony Craven

Small Organisation - Silver - Private Sector - Hatzis Lawyers

Micro Organisation - Gold - Private Sector - Orica's Emergency Response Service. Karina Rowe - Quality Manager - receives the award from Tony Craven.

For information of previous Awards and Awardees go to
Gold Award 2006
Gold Award 2004
Gold Award Pre 2004