The Queensland Literary Awards is an awards program established in 2012 by the Queensland literary community, funded by sponsors and administered by the State Library of Queensland. 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These Awards have a focus on supporting new writing through the Emerging Queensland Writer – Manuscript Award and Unpublished Indigenous writer – David Unaipon Award.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]
Historyedit
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 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 categoriesedit
There are currently twelve award categories including:
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance
Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Award
Queensland Writers Fellowships
The University of Queensland Fiction Book Award
The University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award
Young Adult Book Award
Children's Book Award
University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award for a Short Story Collection
Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection
David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Writer
Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer
The Courier-Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year
Judgingedit
The Awards are judged by independent panels of writers, critics, journalists, academics and booksellers. The Awards are presented to works the judges determine possess the highest literary merit.
Winnersedit
2023edit
The winners were announced on 6 September 2023:[4]
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance – The Jaguar by Sarah Holland-Batt
The Courier-Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award – Sita Walker for The God of No Good
Glendower Award for Emerging Queensland Author – Yen-Rong Wong, "Things Left Unsaid"
David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Writer – Mykaela Saunders for "Always Will Be – stories of Goori sovereignty, from the future(s) of the Tweed"
2021edit
The winners were announced on 9 September 2021:[7]
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance – Biting the Clouds: A Badtjala perspective on the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act, 1897 by Fiona Foley
The Courier-Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award – Mary’s Last Dance: The untold story of the wife of Mao’s Last Dancer by Mary Li
The University of Queensland Fiction Book Award – Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson
The University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award – Amnesia Road: Landscape, violence and memory by Luke Stegemann
Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection – Terminally Poetic by Ouyang Yu
University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award for a Short Story Collection – Ordinary Matter by Laura Elvery
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award – Metal Fish, Falling Snow by Cath Moore
Griffith University Children's Book Award – Bindi written by Kirli Saunders and illustrated by Dub Leffler
Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Award –
Allanah Hunt
Ellen Wengert
Queensland Writers Fellowships –
Tabitha Bird for "The Healing Giggle of Wonder"
Ella Jeffery for "Split Level"
Kali Napier for "Preserving: Stories"
Glendower Award for Emerging Queensland Author – Siang Lu, "The Whitewash"
David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Writer – Ngankiburka-mekauwe (Senior Woman of Water) Georgina Williams for "Mekauwe=Tears Volume #1 Poems (Notes For Song) 1970–2020"
2020edit
The winners were announced on 4 September 2020:[8]
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance – Heartland: How Rugby League Explains Queensland, Joe Gorman
The Courier-Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award – A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
The University of Queensland Fiction Book Award – Stone Sky Gold Mountain, Mirandi Riwoe
The University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award – Olive Cotton: A Life in Photography, Helen Ennis
Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection – Heide, П. O.
University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award for a Short Story Collection – Lucky Ticket, Joey Bui
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award – Ghost Bird, Lisa Fuller
Griffith University Children's Book Award – As Fast As I Can, Penny Tangey
Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Award – Zenobia Frost and Yen-Rong Wong
Queensland Writers Fellowships – Sara El Sayed, Anna Jacobson and Amanda Niehaus
Glendower Award for Emerging Queensland Author – If You're Happy, Fiona Robertson
David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Writer – The Space Between the Paperbark, Jazz Money
2019edit
The winners were announced on 12 November 2019:[9]
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance – Not Just Black and White, Lesley and Tammy Williams
The Courier Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award – Swimming Home, Mary-Rose MacColl
University of Queensland Fiction Book Award – Between a Wolf and a Dog, Georgia Blain
University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award – Small Acts of Disappearance: Essays on Hunger, Fiona Wright
University of Southern Queensland History Book Award – The Pearl Frontier: Indonesian Labour and Indigenous Encounters in Australia’s Northern Trading Network, Julia Martínez and Adrian Vickers
State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection – Judith Wright Calanthe Award – Anatomy of Voice, David Musgrave
University of Southern Queensland Australian Short Story Collection – Steele Rudd Award – co-winners: A Few Days in the Country and other stories, Elizabeth Harrower and The High Places, Fiona McFarlane
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award – Dreaming the Enemy, David Metzenthen
Griffith University Children's Book Award – KidGlovz, Julie Hunt (author) and Dale Newman (illustrator)
Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Awards – Emily Craven and Michelle Law
Emerging Queensland Author – Manuscript Award – No winner, two Encouragement Awards given – The Boatman, H.E. Crampton; and The Elements, Laura Elvery
Unpublished Indigenous Writer – David Unaipon Award – Dancing Home, Paul Collis
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^""QLD Premier's Literary Awards axed"". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
^"Winners of the 2023 Queensland Literary Awards announced". Media statements. Queensland Government. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
^"Queensland Literary Awards winners for 2022". Queensland Government. 8 September 2022. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
^Burke, Kelly (8 September 2022). "Queensland Literary awards: winners list reflects 'a moment of change for the nation'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
^"Winners announced for 2021 Queensland Literary Awards". Queensland Government: Ministerial Media Statements. 9 September 2021. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
^"Book about rugby league takes out richest prize in Queensland Literary Awards". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
^Qian, Jinghua (12 November 2019). "Winners announced for the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards". ArtsHub Australia. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
^"Queensland Literary Awards 2018 winners announced | Books+Publishing". Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
^"Winners and finalists". Queensland Literary Awards. 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^""2016 Queensland Literary Awards"". The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
^""2015 Queensland Literary Awards"". The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
^""Queensland Literary Awards - History of the Award"". State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
^""2013 Winners (Queensland Literary Awards)"". State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^""2012 Winners (Queensland Literary Awards)"". State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)