The awards were designed as "a new initiative celebrating the contribution of Australian literature to the nation's cultural and intellectual life."[citation needed] The awards are held annually and initially provided a tax-free prize of A$100,000 in each category, making it Australia's richest literary award in total.[citation needed] In 2011, the prize money was split into $80,000 for each category winner and $5,000 for up to four short-listed entries. The award was initially given in four categories – fiction, non-fiction, young adult and children's fiction – as selected by three judging panels. In 2012, a poetry category was added and the former Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History was incorporated into the award. To be eligible, writers "must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia."[2]
History
For the inaugural 2008 awards, six Australians were appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts to the judging panels: three each for the fiction and non-fiction awards.[3] The final decisions on the shortlist and winners for the awards was made by Prime Minister (Kevin Rudd) based on the judging panels' recommendations.[3]
Two new award categories were announced on 30 March 2010: "young adults' fiction" and "children's fiction." The prize for both new awards was also $100,000; its entries were judged by one judging panel.
Entries for the 2011 awards opened in January 2011 and an annual timetable was implemented: the shortlist was announced in late May and winners in early July. The awards were restructured to provide greater recognition for shortlisted authors. In each category, the winning book was awarded $80,000; $5,000 was awarded to up to four shortlisted titles. The eligibility criteria were extended to include e-books, and wordless picture books were eligible in the children's fiction category. The panellists from 2010 were returned for 2011.[4]
Drag Down to Unlock or Place an Emergency Call by Melinda Smith
Broken Nation: Australians in the Great War by Joan Beaumont, and Australia's Secret War: How Unionists Sabotaged Our Troops in World War II by Hal G.P. Colebatch
The Story of Australia's People. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia by Geoffrey Blainey, and Let My People Go: The untold story of Australia and the Soviet Jews 1959–89 by Sam Lipski and Suzanne D Rutland
Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country by Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal, Leah Leaman, Cecelia Edwards, Cassandra Algy, Felicity Meakins, Briony Barr & Gregory Crocetti
Aphrodite by Amy Crutchfield
Donald Horne: A Life in the Lucky Country by Ryan Cropp
Winners and shortlists
Australian history
PMLA for Australian History winners and shortlists[34]
^The 2012 non-fiction and history judging panel was chaired by Christopher (Chris) Masters PSM and included Dr Faye Sutherland, Colin Steele, and Dr Michelle Arrow.
^The 2013 non-fiction and history judging panel was chaired by Michael Sexton SC and included Colin Steele, Susan Hayes, and Professor Susan Magarey.
^The 2020 non-fiction and history judging panel was chaired by Richard Waterhouse and included Sally Warhaft, John Fitzgerald, and John Maynard.
^The 2021 non-fiction and Australian history judging panel was chaired by Andrew Tink and included Chris Mitchell, Troy Bramston, Deborah Hope, and Gail Pearson.
^The 2010 judging panel for children's and young adult fiction was chaired by Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright and included Mike Shuttleworth and Mary-Ruth Mendel.
^The 2012 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Judith White and included Mary-Ruth Mendel and Robert (Bob) Sessions.
^The 2013 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Judith White and included Adele Rice and Robert (Bob) Sessions.
^The 2014 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Mike Shuttleworth and included Belle Alderman, Kate Colley, Mark MacLeod, and Irini Savvides.
^The 2015 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Mike Shuttleworth and included Belle Alderman, Kate Colley, Mark MacLeod, and Irini Savvides.
^The 2017 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Margot Hillel and included Joy Lawn, Margrete Lamond, Robyn Ewing, and Sue Whiting.
^The 2018 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Margot Hillel and included Joy Lawn, Kerry Neary, Robyn Ewing, and Sue Whiting.
^The 2020 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Margot Hillel and included Margrete Lamond, Kirli Saunders, James Roy, and Demet Divaroren.
^The 2020 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by James Roy and included Demet Divaroren, Erica Wagner, Paula Kelly Paull, and Richard Yaxley.
^The 2009 judging panel was chaired by Professor Peter Pierce and included Professor John A. Hay AC and Dr Lyn Gallacher.
^The 2009 fiction panel returned in 2010, chaired by Professor Peter Pierce and included Professor John A. Hay AC and Dr Lyn Gallacher.
^The 2012 judging panel for fiction and poetry was chaired by Joel Becker and included Dr Lyn Gallacher, Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM, and Peter Craven.
^The 2013 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Joel Becker and included Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM, Professor Philip Mead, and Jane Sullivan.
^The 2014 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Louise Adler and included Jamie Grant, Margie Bryant, Les Murray, and Robert Gray.
^The 2015 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Louise Adler and included Des Cowley, Jamie Grant, and Robert Gray.
^The 2018 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Bronwyn Lea and included Kathy Shand, James Ley, Susan Wyndham, and Sarah Holland-Batt.
^The 2020 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Suzanne Leal and included Susan Wyndham, Kerryn Goldsworthy, Philip Mead, and Lucy Neave.
^The 2021 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Peter Holbrook, Geoffrey Lehmann, Roslyn Jolly, and Peter Craven.
^The 2008 nonfiction judges' panel was Sally Morgan
(indigenous artist and author) and John Doyle (comedian and script writer). The committee was chaired by Hilary Charlesworth, an academic.
^The 2009 nonfiction judging panel was chaired by Phillip Adams AO and included Peter Rose and Professor Joan Beaumont FASSA.
^The 2010 nonfiction judging panel was chaired by Brian John AO and included Colin Steele and Dr Faye Sutherland.
^The 2012 non-fiction and history judging panel was chaired by Christopher (Chris) Masters PSM and included Dr Faye Sutherland, Colin Steele, and Dr Michelle Arrow.
^The 2013 non-fiction and history judging panel was chaired by Michael Sexton SC and included Colin Steele, Susan Hayes, and Professor Susan Magarey.
^The 2020 non-fiction and history judging panel was chaired by Richard Waterhouse and included Sally Warhaft, John Fitzgerald, and John Maynard.
^The 2021 non-fiction and Australian history judging panel was chaired by Andrew Tink and included Chris Mitchell, Troy Bramston, Deborah Hope, and Gail Pearson.
^The 2012 judging panel for fiction and poetry was chaired by Joel Becker and included Dr Lyn Gallacher, Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM, and Peter Craven.
^The 2013 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Joel Becker and included Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM, Professor Philip Mead, and Jane Sullivan.
^The 2014 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Louise Adler and included Jamie Grant, Margie Bryant, Les Murray, and Robert Gray.
^The 2015 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Louise Adler and included Des Cowley, Jamie Grant, and Robert Gray.
^The 2018 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Bronwyn Lea and included Kathy Shand, James Ley, Susan Wyndham, and Sarah Holland-Batt.
^The 2020 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Suzanne Leal and included Susan Wyndham, Kerryn Goldsworthy, Philip Mead, and Lucy Neave.
^The 2021 fiction and poetry judging panel was chaired by Peter Holbrook, Geoffrey Lehmann, Roslyn Jolly, and Peter Craven.
^The 2010 judging panel for children's and young adult fiction was chaired by Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright and included Mike Shuttleworth and Mary-Ruth Mendel.
^The 2012 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Judith White and included Mary-Ruth Mendel and Robert (Bob) Sessions.
^The 2013 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Judith White and included Adele Rice and Robert (Bob) Sessions.
^The 2014 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Mike Shuttleworth and included Belle Alderman, Kate Colley, Mark MacLeod, and Irini Savvides.
^The 2015 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Mike Shuttleworth and included Belle Alderman, Kate Colley, Mark MacLeod, and Irini Savvides.
^The 2017 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Margot Hillel and included Joy Lawn, Margrete Lamond, Robyn Ewing, and Sue Whiting.
^The 2018 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Margot Hillel and included Joy Lawn, Kerry Neary, Robyn Ewing, and Sue Whiting.
^The 2020 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by Margot Hillel and included Margrete Lamond, Kirli Saunders, James Roy, and Demet Divaroren.
^The 2020 children's and young adult fiction judging panel was chaired by James Roy and included Demet Divaroren, Erica Wagner, Paula Kelly Paull, and Richard Yaxley.
^ abcdef"Winners and shortlists". Australian Government | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
