Greg Hunt was ‘genuinely humbled’ to receive the best minister award but his explanation of the selection process has been called into question. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Reuters distances itself from Greg Hunt 'best minister' award: 'It wasn't our idea'

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Confusion surrounds the process by which Australia’s environment minister was crowned the world’s No 1, with the news agency denying it designed the scheme

Confusion surrounds the selection process for the “best minister in the world” award bestowed upon Greg Hunt at the World Government Summit in Dubai for his efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

According to the summit’s website in the United Arab Emirates, the “best minister in the world” award was “thoroughly and independently managed by Thomson Reuters where the search for the nominees is conducted according to the established criteria”.

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According to a radio interview by the “humbled” Hunt, the award was also initiated by Reuters.

“Reuters news agency said to the UAE government that they’d like to create the award and present it at the World Government Summit,” the federal environment minister said.

“They then commissioned the World Bank, the OECD, Ernst & Young and an international strategic firm called Strategy and Co to draw up a list of 100 – they then winnowed it down to 10. They used a series of criteria, they had a voting program – and we didn’t know about it, and I got a call just over a week ago.”

But Thomson Reuters said it was “not correct” to say that the company initiated the award or were responsible for designing the selection process.

“Thomson Reuters was solely responsible for assisting in the administration of the award, to a set of criteria approved by the World Government Summit organisers,” said Tarek Fleihan, head of corporate communications for the financial information company in the Middle East, Africa and Russia.

Thomson Reuters promised a full clarifying statement, but has not yet issued one. Reuters news said it had no involvement in the process.

Accepting the award at the summit, Hunt said that “on a personal level I am genuinely humbled to receive this award. I am, however, deeply proud that this inaugural award is being presented to an environment minister.”

In an interview with Fairfax Media, Hunt described his win as “really an award for Australia” and reassured readers that his wife had insisted he “still had to put the bins out”.

The website says there were nominations from 80 countries, which were assessed based on four criteria:

Innovation and leadership: the solution that was introduced by the candidate will have revolutionised the utilisation of government services by its citizens. This work of true innovation will have increased productivity, reduced costs and improve the citizen’s opinion of the government.
Quality and impact: the solution should address the needs of the citizens and must demonstrate a significant social impact. Significant social impact includes but is not limited to easily accessible government services for all citizens, efficiency in execution, human development impact, job creation, etc.
Replication: the solution must have the quality of being easily replicated in multiple geographies. The solution should demonstrate propensity for impact beyond the local level, either nationally, regionally or globally.
Reputation: the candidate must be highly credible amongst his peers and the general public. The candidate must have a proven record amongst his peers of developing innovative solutions that have positively impacted the citizens.

“The aim of this award is to recognise innovation in global government work and highlight ministerial initiatives that have resulted in positive changes in their communities,” the UAE minister of cabinet affairs, Mohammed Al Gergawi, told the summit as he gave Hunt the award.

“Our world today needs ministers to serve as role models of thought and action, which bring about progress and welfare and improve general societal wellbeing.”

Official statistics released in December revealed Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions increased in the year to the end of June 2015 by 0.8% and by 1.3% when land use and deforestation were taken into account.

On Wednesday the Greens deputy leader, Scott Ludlam, attacked Hunt’s “brazen audacity” over accepting the “best minister in the world” award.

In a satirical address to the nation, Ludlam said while the award “might sound like something his mum made up ... on behalf of the Australian Greens I am asking you to join me in calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to declare February the 10th a public holiday to mark this unique occasion”.