Plain Language Awards

Celebrate the stories of our clearest business communicators

2013 Awards

The results of the 2013 Plain English Awards were announced at a ceremony in Wellington on 3 December.

And the winners are...

Congratulations to our 2013 plain language heroes


Plain English Champion — Best Organisation

Winner: Ministry of Social Development

Finalist: ANZ

Finalist: Department of Internal Affairs

Finalist: Office of the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner


Plain English Champion — Best Individual or Team

Winner: ANZ Wealth

Winner: Statistics New Zealand — Editorial Team

Finalist: Department of Internal Affairs — Digital Engagement Team


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

Winner: Environmental Protection Authority — Hazardous Substances Toolbox

Finalist: Ministry of Social Development — SKIP Tips for Parents

Finalist: Standards New Zealand — Standards Council Statement of Intent 2013 – 2016


Best Plain English Document — Private Sector

Winner: ANZ — ANZ KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement

Finalist: Thorn Rentals NZ Ltd (trading as dtr) — Flip charts

Finalist: ANZ — Memorandum of Mortgage


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

Winner: Accident Compensation Corporation — www.acc.co.nz/disability

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

Finalist: St Mary's Early Childhood Education Centre — www.stmaryschildcare.org.nz


Best Plain English Website — Private Sector

Winner: Equinox IT — www.equinox.co.nz

Finalist: ANZ— www.anz.co.nz/futurewise

Finalist: Martelli McKegg — www.martellimckegg.co.nz


Best Plain English Sentence Transformation

Winner: Xero — Kylie McGrath’s sentence from 'Add or edit a fixed asset'

Finalist: Xero — Ros Black’s sentence from 'Foreign currency bills and invoices'

Finalist: Xero — Kylie McGrath’s sentence from 'View customer or supplier contact details'


Best Plain English Technical Communicator

Winner: Kylie Mason, Ministry of Health

Finalist: Chloe Hooper, Statistics New Zealand

Finalist: Ros Black, Xero


Best Plain English Investor Document

Winner: ANZ — ANZ KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement

Finalist: AMP Services (NZ) Ltd — AMP KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement

Finalist: ANZ — OneAnswer KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement and OnePath KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement


Best Plain English Turnaround

Winner: Internet and Publishing Team, Inland Revenue — IR 240 and IR 333 information guides

Finalist: ANZ — Memorandum of Mortgage

Finalist: Department of Internal Affairs — from www.newzealand.govt.nz

Finalist: Thorn Rentals NZ Ltd (trading as dtr) — Flip charts


People's Choice — Best Plain English Communication

Winner: ANZ — ANZ Wealth’s ANZ KiwiSaver Scheme Investment Statement

Finalist: High Court of New Zealand —The Hutt City Council v The Lower Hutt District Court & Ors


People's Choice — Worst 'Brainstrain' Communication

Winner: State Services Commission — Job description: Director — Continuous Improvement

Finalist: Finalist: Hamilton City Council — Hatch, Match and Dispatch factsheet