( CNN ) -- An Australian radio DJ whose prank targeting Prince William 's pregnant wife led to the suicide of a nurse has been voted the best DJ in the land by his employer . Michael Christian , along with Mel Greig , were suspended after the December 2012 prank in which they called a nurse at King Edward VII 's Hospital pretending to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles to gain information about the condition of Catherine , Duchess of Cambridge . After the pair played the prank on air , the nurse who transferred the call through to the ward , Jacintha Saldanha , committed suicide . Aussie DJ scandal : Does radio share the blame ? On Tuesday , Christian was crowned `` Top Jock '' in a contest conducted by his radio network , Southern Cross Austereo . The internal contest pitted DJs who submitted their best bits every week . Christian was the joint winner . A trip to Los Angeles awaits . `` From the start I felt like I had something to prove to myself , '' he said in a statement . `` That regardless of all that 's happened in the past few months I 'm still at the top of my game . '' Australia 's Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said it was too soon for Christian to be honored this way . `` I think there 's a bit of bad taste involved there , '' Conroy told news radio station , 3AW . `` There was some very serious consequences of what was a prank and to be seen to be rewarding people so soon after such an event , I think is just in bad taste , '' he said . 'Truly appalling ' After the prank caused an international uproar , the two DJs were taken off the air . Southern Cross Austereo suspended all prank calls , pulled advertising and ordered a comprehensive review of relevant policies and process . Greig and Christian apologized in interviews with the Australian TV shows `` A Current Affair '' and `` Today Tonight . '' `` There is nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now , '' Greig said on `` Today Tonight . '' Nurse death sparks outrage , casts glare on 'shock jocks ' Christian told `` A Current Affair '' the prank had become `` a tragic turn of events that I do n't think anyone could have predicted or expected . '' The chairman of the hospital where the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was a patient slammed the Australian radio station 's decision to broadcast the recorded prank call as `` truly appalling . '' `` The immediate consequence of these premeditated and ill-considered actions was the humiliation of two dedicated and caring nurses who were simply doing their job tending to their patients , '' wrote the chairman , Simon Glenarthur . `` The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is , frankly , tragic beyond words . '' 'World 's worst accents ever ' Audio of the call posted online suggests a woman spoke briefly to the DJs before she put the call through to the ward where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for acute morning sickness . `` They were the world 's worst accents ever , '' Greig told listeners then . `` We were sure 100 people at least before us would 've tried the same thing . ... We were expecting to be hung up on . We did n't even know what to say when we got through . '' Off the air , Greig and Christian tweeted about the practical joke , promising `` more on the # royalprank . '' The pair 's Twitter accounts were later taken down . A St. James 's Palace spokesman said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were saddened to learn of Saldanha 's death . Another palace spokesman told CNN that `` at no point did the palace complain to the hospital about the incident . On the contrary , we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times . '' Greig remains off the air . Christian resumed DJ duties in February .
He is the co-winner of a contest conducted by his radio network . `` I 'm still at the top of my game , '' Christian says . Communications minister calls the honor `` in bad taste ''