Queensland Literary Awards

The Queensland Literary Awards is a community driven awards program that was established in 2012. Like the former Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, the QLAs celebrate and promote outstanding Australian writing. The awards aim to seek out, recognize and nurture great talent in Australian writing. They draw national and international attention to some of our best writers and to Queensland’s recognition of outstanding Australian literature and publishing.

These Awards have a focus on supporting new writing through the Emerging Queensland Writer - Manuscript Award and Unpublished Indigenous writer - David Unaipon Award. "They give local writers and new writers something to aspire to."^[1]

History

The Queensland Literary Awards was established by a not-for-profit association of passionate Queensland volunteers and advocates for literature, in response to Queensland Premier Campbell Newman disestablishing the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards in 2012.^[2]

In 2012 and 2013 the program was run by a volunteer workforce. Following consultation with the QLA Inc. governing committee, 2014 saw the management of the QLA transition to State Library of Queensland (SLQ). While SLQ took on a leadership role in delivering the program, the aim was to continue to build on the existing genuinely collaborative model where the community and writing sector partners are key stakeholders.

The original Premier's awards were established by Peter Beattie, the then Premier of Queensland in 1998 and first awarded in 1999.^[3]

Award categories

There are currently twelve award categories including:

• Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance
• University of Queensland Fiction Book Award
• University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award
• Griffith University Young Adult Book Award
• Griffith University Children's Book Award
• University of Southern Queensland History Book Award
• University of Southern Queensland Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award
• State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award
• Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award
• Emerging Queensland Writer - Manuscript Award
• Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Awards
• The Courier-Mail People Choice Queensland Book of the Year

Judging

The Awards are judged by independent panels of writers, critics, academics and publishers. The Awards are presented to entrants whom judges deem to possess the highest literary merit.

Winners

2014^[4]

• The Courier Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award — How to do a Liver Transplant: Stories from my Surgical Life, Kellee Slater
• University of Queensland Fiction Book Award — The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Richard Flanagan
• University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award — 1914: The Year the World Ended, Paul Ham
• University of Southern Queensland History Book Award — Broken Nation, Joan Beaumont
• State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award — Earth Hour, David Malouf
• Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Only the Animals, Ceridwen Dovey
• Griffith University Young Adult Book Award — The Cracks in the Kingdom, Jaclyn Moriarty
• Children's Book Award — Refuge, Jackie French and Rules of Summer, Shaun Tan (joint winners)
• Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — We Come From Saltwater People, Cathy McLennan
• Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — It’s Not Just Black and White, Lesley & Tammy Williams

2013^[5]

• The Courier Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award — The Secret Keeper, Kate Moreton
• Deloitte Fiction Book Award — Mullumbimby, Melissa Lucashenko
• University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award — Boy, Lost, Kristina Olsson
• University of Southern Queensland History Book Award — The Flash of Recognition, Jane Lydon
• State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award — Jam Tree Gully, John Kinsella
• Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Like a House on Fire, Cate Kennedy
• Griffith University Young Adult Book Award — A Corner of White, Jaclyn Moriarty
• Children's Book Award — Don't Let a Spoonbill in the Kitchen!, Narelle Oliver
• Gadens Feature Film Script Award — Healing, Craig Monahan and Alison Nisselle
• Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — Gap, Rebecca Jessen
• Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — Heat and Light, Ellen van Neerven

2012^[6]

• Fiction Book Award — Cold Light, Frank Moorhouse
• Non-Fiction Book Award — The People Smuggler, Robin De Crespigny
• History Book Award — he Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia, Bill Gammage
• Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate - Harry Williams Award — The Australian Moment: How We Were Made For These Times, George Megalogenis
• Science Writers Award — Sex, Genes & Rock 'n' Roll, Rob Brooks
• Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award — Crimson Crop, Peter Rose
• Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Turbulence, Janette Turner Hospital
• Young Adult Book Award — The Ink Bridge, Neil Grant
• Children's Book Award — Kumiko and the Shadow Catchers, Briony Stewart
• Film Script Award — Dead Europe, Louise Fox
• Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — Island of the Unexpected, Catherine Titasey
• Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — Story, Siv Parker
• Drama Script (Stage) Award — War Crimes, Angela Betzien
• Television Script Award — Mabo, Sue Smith

References

External links

• Queensland Literary Awards official site