Frequently Asked Questions on our Awards

What is the difference between the Banksia Awards and the Premiers Sustainability Awards

The Banksia Foundation has its program of environmental awards that have been running since 1989.  This a national program and the awards are open to entries Australia wide.

The Premiers Sustainability Awards are a Victorian based awards program where Banksia is running the entry and judging processes on behalf of Sustainability Victoria.  This is a Sustainability Victoria based program and only Victorian based entries are eligible.

Focus on the specific strengths of your project - your objectives and outcomes.  Which category best represents your projects success and impact.  Enter one or more category awards but remember to rewrite your entry for each (and include separate entry forms and payments - these details are included in the Award Entry Kit)

If you need assistance in deciding the category award for your project, give us a call at Banksia to discuss.

How many criteria do I have to address?

All criteria points.  The aim of the criteria is to direct you to present your project as comprehensively as possible.  This criteria is also the bases for and allows continuity within our Judging process.

Tips provided in the category awards, alongside the 5 criteria points, are their to assist you in covering aspects relevant to that award.  Address those tips that apply to your particular project and add more detail as required.

 Do I have to stick to the word limits for each award?

Yes.  The details are contained in each Award Entry Kit.  If you are having difficult, we suggest you initially generate as comprehensive an entry as possible and then fine tune to the required number of words.  Editing content to be more "to the point" will be beneficial in focussing the Judges attention on the most important aspects of your project.  You can provide additional information of a technical, diagrammatic or in report form, in your attachments.

What entry fee applies to my entry?

Applicable to the Banksia Category Awards only,  an entry fee schedule is included the Award Entry Kit and also it is viewable from this website (click here to view).  If you are still unsure after viewing the schedule please call the office to discuss. 

There is an early bird fee discount that is available so long as your entry is submitted at the same time.

How many copies of the entry should I send?

Depending on the award you are entering - the exact number of copies and other important information is provided in each Award Entry Kit.

Can I send support documentation separately?

Your support documentation (eg attachments, media material) can be in a separate folder if absolutely necessary but must be packaged together with your submission and arrive at the same time.  Remember to supply the same number of your attachments as is required for your entry.

Can I email my entry?

No - we do not have the resources to be printing out entries and we need hard copies for our preliminary judging process.

Entries are required to be sent by post or courier to our offices at 232 Albert Road, South Melbourne Victoria.  Please plan in advance for your submission to arrive by the deadlines and allow for any considerations due to distance etc.  Click here to view time lines.

When will the finalists be notified?

Finalists will be notified for all Banksia Awards (not including the Mercedes-Benz Australian Environmental Research Award) on the 5th June 2008.  Notices will appear in the media, a Banksia Email Newsletter will be sent and Media Releases will be issued.  Notification will be sent by email to Finalists and non-finalists will be notified by post as close to this time as possible.

Do I receive confirmation of receipt of my entry?

Once registered, a confirmation will be emailed to you and will advise you of your registration number.  All entries require an email address for this purpose.

When can I book for the presentation dinner?

The Banksia Environmental Awards presentation for 2008 will be held in Melbourne on July 18, 2008.  A Banksia Email Newsletter will be sent when bookings become open and a link will be available form the home page.

Are tickets issued for dinner?

No. Tickets will not be issued.  You will receive confirmation by email.  Please make sure that you include your email when completing the booking form.

I have a been a previous winner can I re-enter?

Yes, however your entry must provide substantially more information than your previous winning entry.  If you are a finalist, judges may refer to your previous recent winning entry to see that there has been considerable progress.

Can I re-enter the same entry the following year if I have been unsuccessful the previous year?

Yes of course.  You would also be advised to review your previous submission if it has already been unsuccessful - look at what more you can provide and how you can improve.

At what stage of the project should I put an entry in - for instance - the planning stage; execution stage; results stage?

If any of these stages present you with a measurable outcome, then you could enter at both the execution and results stages.  We have found that entries based on projects still in the planning stage, in the past, have fallen short on reporting of results against set objectives.

Should we employ/outsource someone to compose our entry for us?

You are the best judge of the resources you have at your disposal to put together an entry to the Banksia Environmental Awards.  If you elect to outsource this task then we recommend that you make sure that you are working closely with this person/organisation to make certain that all the relevant areas are covered and the entry truly conveys the innovation and excellence that you wish the Banksia judges to acknowledge.  It is important to ensure that your commitment and passion is evident in the entry.

Can I enter the same project for the Banksia Category Awards into other awards?

If your project is eligible under other award criteria then yes.  Your submission may however need to be rewritten depending on what differences exist between different awards and what focus is required of your submission for any given award.

How many people can attend the Banksia Award dinner presentation from my organisation?

There is no restriction in how many people you would like to attend if you book early.

How many people can represent our entry on stage at the presentation if we are the winner?

Banksia's preference is that only one representative of any organisation stated on the official Entry Form be represented.  Please make sure that when you complete the official award entry form that you have stated the relevant organisations in your entry.  If you need a variation on this please contact Banksia to discuss your particular situation.

HINT:  Once finalists are announced on the 5th June 2008, we will be contacting all finalists to collect names and postions of representatives.  Plan early so that those people required to attend know in advance and can make the appropriate decisions and arrangements.

Are winners notified prior to the awards presentation?

No.  All winners will be announced at the Banksia Awards presentation.

Can previous entries be viewed?

All entries are treated as commercial in confidence and therefore are unavailable for viewing.  Summaries of the winners and finalists from previous years can be found on this website.

Not all initiatives can afford to invest a significant amount in research to obtain results.  What is Banksia looking for when referring to results?

The key is that the initiative has set some measurable objectives and reports on the results against these measurements.  If the entrant can identify an outcome that is innovative or ground-breaking, or has provided information that would influence future direction, this is a result that would be seen as influential and worthy.

Do I need a separate entry for the Banksia People's Choice Award?

No.  Your existing Banksia Category Award entry will be used for entry into the Banksia People's Choice Award assuming it is a) eligible, b) it reaches finalist status and c) it is selected as a finalist for this award.

If we haven't covered your question you can contact Banksia direct through email or by phone on 03 9684 4667.