Plain Language Awards

Celebrate the stories of our clearest business communicators

2012 Awards

Congratulations to the winners and finalists in the 2012 WriteMark Plain English Awards

And the winners are...

Congratulations to our 2012 plain language heroes


Plain English Champion — Best Organisation

Winner: Cancer Society of New Zealand


Plain English Champion — Best Individual or Team

Winner: NZ Transport Agency — Manawatu Gorge Team

Finalist: Cancer Society of New Zealand — Editorial Team

Finalist: NZ Transport Agency — 'Give Way Rule' Team


Best Plain English Document — Public Sector / Non-Government Organisation (NGO)

Winner: Statistics New Zealand — How to tell a story using statistics

Finalist: Commerce Commission — Electricity and the Commerce Commission's role

Finalist: Ministry of Social Development — Strategies with Kids, Information for Parents (SKIP)


Best Plain English Document — Private Sector

Winner: Blue Mountain Adventure Centre — Conquer Your Own Mountain!

Finalist: Gareth Morgan Investments — Gareth Morgan KiwiSaver Scheme Annual Report 2012


Best Plain English Website — Public Sector / Non-Government Organisation (NGO)

Winner: Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income — http://www.sorted.org.nz

Finalist: Cancer Society of New Zealand — http://www.getthetools.org.nz

Finalist: Careers New Zealand — http://www.careers.govt.nz

Finalist: Careers New Zealand — http://www.careers.govt.nz


Best Plain English Website — Private Sector

Winner: Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd — http://www.beeflambnz.com

Finalist: Gareth Morgan Investments — www.gmk.co.nz


Best Plain English Sentence Transformation

Winner: Telecom New Zealand Limited — Annette Hamilton

Finalist: Inland Revenue Department — Megan Mills

Finalist: Telecom New Zealand Limited — Annette Hamilton


Best Plain English Technical Communicator

Winner: Telecom New Zealand Limited — Sarah Burns

Finalist: Commerce Commission — Allanah Kalafatelis

Finalist: Xero — Kylie McGrath


Best Plain English Investor Document

Winner: UDC Finance Limited — UDC Secured Investments Prospectus 65

Finalist: Goldman Henry — US50 Fund Ltd. Annual Report 2011

Finalist: Pathfinder Management Ltd — Pathfinder Asset Management Prospectus


Best Plain English Turnaround

Winner: Ministry of Social Development / Inland Revenue Department — Student Loan Contract

Finalist: Commerce Commission — Anti-competitive practices web page


People's Choice — Best Plain English Communication

Winner: BreastScreen Aotearoa — BreastScreen letter


People's Choice — Worst 'Brainstrain' Communication

Winner: Nova Energy — Standard Terms for Gas and Electricity Supply