Ms Joanne Stampalia, the Executive Director, Court and Tribunal Services Division, was awarded a Public Service Medal.
And Prison Officer Carrol Johns was awarded the Australian Corrections Medal.
Director General, Dr Adam Tomison, said both were a credit to the Department and very deserving winners.
Ms Stampalia has administrative responsibility for the Supreme, Family, District, Children’s, Magistrates and Coroner’s Courts; the State Administrative Tribunal, Office of Criminal Injuries Compensation, Prisoners Review Board, Mentally Impaired Accused Review Board, Supervised Release Review Board and the Gender Reassignment Board.
Her Division also has oversight of court counselling and support services, civil and criminal enforcement of fines and court orders, court security, jury management, court systems application development and support, Justices of the Peace Branch, policy and legislative developments, operational performance reporting in relation to courts and tribunals.
“Ms Stampalia’s role is enormously important for the State’s Justice system, a role she carries out with great leadership, commitment and professionalism,” Dr Tomison said.
“She has championed a strong reform agenda in the implementation of more holistic approaches to the justice system through amendments to Government Legislation and the introduction of therapeutic court process to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol abuse, and family violence.
“This award, ‘For outstanding public service in operational reform and modernisation of the Courts and Tribunals of Western Australia’, is richly deserved.”
Ms Johns was the sole WA recipient of the Australian Corrections Medal (ACM) in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The ACM is a civil decoration awarded to operational members for distinguished service.
She has worked in corrections for almost 25 years, joining as a group worker at the Rangeview Juvenile Remand Centre in July 1997 and then qualifying as a prison officer in 2001.
Most of Carrol’s career has been spent at the Wooroloo Prison Farm where she is held in high regard by both prisoners and her fellow Officers.
“Ms Johns has been a trailblazer for Aboriginal women in the Department and a tremendous asset as an innovator and cultural ambassador, making a significant contribution to bridging the cultural divide between Prison Officers and Aboriginal prisoners.
“She was the key facilitator for the first Aboriginal Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program at Wooroloo and initiated the use of an early alert system to identify young offenders who transitioned from youth detention to adult custody.
“Ms Johns maintains a high professional standard and balances the cultural differences without conflict. I thank her for the great work she has done, and continues to do, at Wooroloo.”
