The Allister McLay Best Paper Award was set up following the passing of Allister McLay from EIT and is awarded each year at the conclusion of the WILNZ/NZACE conference. Recipients of the award have been:
- 2022, no award made
- 2021, no award made
- 2020, conference postponed
- 2019, no award made
- 2018, Megan Roberts and Yvonne Wood
- 2017, Sarah Snell and Catherine Snell-Siddle
- 2016, Theresa Winchester Seeto and Anna Rowe
- 2015, Joint Winners:
- 2014, Catherine Snell-Siddle, Sarah Snell, and Aaron Steele
- 2013, Theresa Winchester-Seeto, Anna Rowe and Jacqueline Mackaway
- 2012, David Skelton
- 2011, Karsten Zegwaard and Matthew Campbell
- 2010, Murray Cullen
- 2009, Matthew Campbell
- 2008, Neil Haigh
- 2007, Dave Hodges and Diana Ayling
Former NZACE Chairperson, Professor Richard Coll, presenting the 2010 Allister McLay Best Paper award to Murray Cullen