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The career achievements of Simon Balderstone, founding Director of Ways and Means Consultancy - a consultancy on events, bids, issues management, sustainability and Indigenous programs - have been recognised with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Australian Event Awards.

The Australian Event Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award is aimed at recognising great Australian event industry figures that have made significant contributions to events in Australia.

In 2023, Balderstone was picked by the Co-Chairs of the Judging Panel as the exceptionally deserving recipient of this prestigious Award.

He was the Founding Chairman (2002-2023) and is a current Founding Director since 2002 of the Australian Himalayan Foundation. He was also a member of the successful First Australian Mt. Everest Expedition 1984.

He has also been a long time Judge on the Australian Event Awards Judging Panel.

Balderstone’s career has seen him a journalist; author; trek guide; Senior Adviser (Environment, Indigenous Affairs, Sport, Olympic liaison, policy and strategy) to Prime Ministers Hawke and Keating (1990-95) and Australian Federal Sport and Environment Minister (1987-1990); Adviser to the International Olympic Committee (2001 - 2011) on Sustainability/Environment, Sport for All, and Editor/Writer as well as Senior Adviser and Executive Editor/Writer for the successful Tokyo Bid for the 2020 (now 2021) Olympic Games.

His extensive involvement with the Olympic movement includes:

• Founding Director, Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Board (1993-1995)
• Advisor/writer for senior management, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. (2007-2012)
• Member, IOC Sport for All Congress Program Committee (2007-12)
• Expert consultant (projects) to Organising Committees for Rio Pan American Games; Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Rio 2016 Games (2011- Consultant, Environment/ legacy planning)
• Writer- Start-up Manual for Sport for All projects, events (Social Sustainability) for IOC
• Author, IOC Case Study: Sydney Olympic Park: A Planning legacy case study.
• Expert advisor (Sustainability/Environment) to IOC Coordination Commission for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and Athens 2004 Games.
• Member, IOC Evaluation Commissions for the Olympic Games of 2008 (in 2000-2001); 2012 (2004-5); 2014 (2006-7); and 2016 (2008-9) and 2018 (2010-11)
• Winner, UN Global 500 Roll of Honour for Environmental Achievement, 2001, for Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Environment program (Manager)
• Assistant to the Mayor of the Olympic Village, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
• General Manager, Executive Office SOCOG - Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (1995-2000) - including establishment and management of Environment ('Green Games'), Executive Office, International Relations, Government Relations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Affairs.

He was also Strategic Adviser, Media Coordinator to the Garma Festival (2002-2012), Advisor/Executive Editor/Writer (Environment-Sustainability-Legacy - Bid Book editorship) for the successful Tokyo bid for 2020 Olympic Games, and for Medellin bid for 2018 Youth Olympic Games (2011-2013).

In 2007, Balderstone was named as a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours for his service to environmental protection and Indigenous affairs, to the Olympic movement, and to the community through organisations providing health, education, cultural and development assistance services.

The 2023 Australian Event Awards National Winners were announced at the Event Awards 2023 Ceremony on Wednesday 13th September 2023 at The Highline Venue, Bankstown, NSW.

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