Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) chief executive Greg Hallam has been awarded this year's prestigious John Shaw medal.

 

The medal is awarded by Roads Australia for outstanding contribution to road transport management in Australia.

 

"I'm thrilled for local government that this is the first the award has been given to anyone from our sphere of government in its 40 year history," Mr Hallam said.

 

"I am delighted to be honoured in this way however the medal really belongs to all staff at LGAQ who've been involved, firstly, in the road reform and then the Roads Alliance processes.

 

"I also pay tribute to all staff in local government whose cooperation and commitment to the very difficult but important job of improving both the effectiveness and efficiency of our road operations."

 

"At the end of the day that the road task is fundamental to local government – it's at the heart of what we do.

 

"We're not only talking about a means of transport. Roads have huge economic, social and environmental implications, to name a few."

 

Roads Australia chief executive Ian Webb said Mr Hallam's work had been essential to the major reforms in how state and local governments dealt with roads issues in Queensland.

 

"Roads and transport are dominant parts of the budget of local government and Greg has played a lead role – with the Federal Government, in LGAQ, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), and in council leadership roles,'' Mr Webb said.

 

"Greg has made a significant contribution to reforming how levels of government work together.''

 

Mr Webb said Mr Hallam's work with the Roads Alliance had been recognised not only by the state and federal governments, but by the International Road Federation and the United Nations.

 

"His legacy includes a fundamental reassessment of road funding in Queensland and a determination to improve how projects are managed in order to get better value,'' he said.

 

"Greg's contribution has been essential to the major reforms in state and local government relations on roads issues in Queensland.''

 

"He shared a joint vision of what could be, even though it was threatening to many existing local arrangements.''

 

He said Mr Hallam's willingness to work as a partner with the state on major road reform initiatives, while still listening to his members, required strong leadership and commitment.

 

The John Shaw Medal has a long history and is seen as one of the most significant achievements in the Australian Road Transport Sector.