The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards recognises the best of Australian literature and celebrates writing as a valuable cultural and intellectual influence.
Today in Launceston, the 2022 award winners have been recognised for their contributions and literary talents.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Awards highlighted the creativity and excellence of Australian literature.
“It is through great writing we are able to celebrate and build upon our cultural and creative identity,” the Prime Minister said.
“I congratulate this year’s winners and thank them for their efforts in showcasing the diversity of Australian voices.”
Minister Burke said these awards are fundamental in creating a pathway for future and aspiring authors, poets and historians.
“The work Australian writers do matters. It matters because it shapes the narrative of our everyday lives, and that is something that needs to be supported.
“Writers provide the pathway for Australians to know themselves, for us to know each other and for the world to know us.
“It’s important we make sure that Australian stories continue to be told, both here at home and overseas. Thank you to all this year’s winners for doing just that.”
The Awards are presented in six categories – fiction, poetry, non-fiction, Australian history, children’s and young adult literature with winners sharing in the total prize pool of $600,000.
We thank the independent judges Professor Chris Dixon, Dr Deborah Hope, Troy Bramston, Professor Gail Pearson, Chris Mitchell, Geoffrey Lehmann, Associate Professor Sandra Phillips, Stephen Romei, Peter Craven, Caroline Overington, James Roy, Demet Divaroren, Erica Wagner, Paula Kelly Paull and Dr Anthony Eaton for their work.
The Awards will be livestreamed on the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Facebook page.
For more information about the winning and shortlisted works, visit the PM’s Literary Awards.
The 2022 Prime Minister’s Literary Award winners:
Fiction
- Red Heaven by Nicolas Rothwell
Poetry
- Human Looking by Andy Jackson
Non-fiction
- Rogue Forces: An explosive insiders’ account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan by Mark Willacy
Australian history
- Semut: The untold story of a secret Australian operation in WWII Borneo by Christine Helliwell
Children’s literature
- Mina and the Whole Wide World by Sherryl Clark, illustrated by Briony Stewart
Young adult literature
- The Gaps by Leanne Hall