The Hon Penny Wensley receives esteemed international soil award

The Hon Penelope Wensley AC, Patron of the Soil CRC and of Soil Science Australia, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal at the International Union of Soil Sciences Centennial Congress held in Florence, Italy in May.

The IUSS medal is one of the most prized soil awards in the world; it is awarded to leaders who have translated soil science into action and contributed significantly to promoting and reinforcing public policies for soil resource preservation.

Ms Wensley has had a long and highly distinguished career of public service: as a diplomat for forty years (1968-2008), representing Australia in a wide range of overseas postings and policy positions; as the State Governor of Queensland (2008-2014); and for the past decade (2014-2024), in diverse leadership roles, focused on international relations and protection of the environment.

She is a long-standing advocate for sustainable systems, serving as Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment in the early 1990s. Some of her achievements from this time are championing Australia at the landmark 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and serving as a key contributor to the negotiation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and the UN Convention to Combat Drought and Desertification (UNCCD).

In her acceptance speech, Ms Wensley focused on the need for support for science and research and the need for public policy to be evidence-based and informed by sound science. At the conclusion of her speech, Ms Wensley received a prolonged standing ovation from the congress attendees, recognising that her impact has been felt far beyond Australia’s shores.

We are grateful to have Penny as Patron of the Soil CRC, and we extend our congratulations on receiving the IUSS Distinguished Services Medal.