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Western Australian Premier's Book Awards

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Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards
LocationPerth, Western Australia
CountryAustralia
First awarded1982; 43 years ago (1982)
WebsiteWA Premier's Book Award

The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is an annual book award provided by the Government of Western Australia, and managed by the State Library of Western Australia.

History and Format

Annual literary awards were inaugurated by the Western Australian Government in 1982 to honour and celebrate the literary achievements of Western Australian writers. Until 1990 the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards were called the WA Week Literary Awards.[1] The title of the award refers to the year of publication, rather than the year in which the awards were announced e.g.the 2011 awards for works published that year were announced in 2012

The categories included poetry, non-fiction, fiction, Western Australian history, children's book, YA fiction , scripts and digital narrative. There was also a Premier's Prize, which was awarded to an overall winner.

The Barnett government downgraded the awards from an annual event to a biennial one much to the disappointment of the WA arts sector.[2][3]

The McGowan government reinstated the annual award format in 2018. Currently there are four categories – the Western Australian Writer's Fellowship (valued at $60,000), the Premier's Prize for Writing for Children ($15,000), the Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer ($15,000) and the Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors ($15,000 and publishing contract with Magabala Books).[4][5]

There have been calls for the awards to be restored to their previous levels as there are currently no categories for established poets, nor fiction and non-fiction writers.[6]

2020 winners

The 2020 winners were announced at the State Library of Western Australian on 25 August 2021.[7][8]

Western Australian Writer's Fellowship: Sisonke Msimang

Shortlisted:

  • Amanda Bridgeman
  • Donna Mazza
  • Jon Doust
  • Madelaine Dickie

Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer: Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca Giggs (Scribe Publications)

Shortlisted:

  • Father of the Lost Boys by Yuot A. Alaak (Fremantle Press)
  • A Question of Colour by Pattie Lees and Adam C. Lees (Magabala Books)
  • We Can't Say We Didn't Know by Sophie McNeill (ABC Books: An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
  • The Salt Madonna by Catherine Noske (Pan Macmillan Australia)

Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors: "Dirran" by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler

Shortlisted:

  • Home is Calling by Natasha Leslie

Premier's Prize for Writing for Children: How to Make a Bird by Meg McKinlay, illustrated by Matt Ottley

Shortlisted:

  • Littlelight by Kelly Canby (Fremantle Press)
  • Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe by Shirley Purdie (Magabala Books)
  • Across The Risen Sea by Bren MacDibble (Allen & Unwin)
  • Willy-willy Wagtail: Tales from the Bush Mob by Helen Milroy (Magabala Books)

2019 winners

The 2019 winners were announced at the State Library of Western Australian on 7 August 2020.[5][9]

Western Australian Writers Hall of Fame: Kim Scott

Western Australian Writer's Fellowship: Amanda Curtin
Shortlisted:

Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer: Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard

Shortlisted:

  • Fabulous Lives by Bindy Pritchard (Margaret River Press)
  • Rapture's Roadway by Virginia Jealous (Ventura Press)
  • The Wooleen Way by David Pollock (Scribe Publications)
  • Wombat, Mudlark and Other Stories by Helen Milroy (Fremantle Press)

Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors: Our Matriarchs Matter by Teela May Reid

Shortlisted:

  • 18 Comments by Ellen van Neerven
  • Swell by Elizabeth Stuart
  • Yenda by Jannali Jones
  • Noble Intentions by Krista Dunstan

Premier's Prize for Writing for Children: Catch a Falling Star by Meg McKinlay

Shortlisted:

  • Alex and the Alpacas Save the World by Kathryn Lefroy (Fremantle Press)
  • Let me Sleep, Sheep! by Meg McKinlay, illustrated by Leila Rudge (Walker Books Australia)
  • The Gift by Michael Speechley (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • Violet and Nothing by Fiona Burrows (Fremantle Press)

2018 winners

The 2018 winners were announced on 26 July 2019.[10]

  • Western Australian Writer's Fellowship: A.J. Betts
  • Premier's Prize for Writing for Children: The Hole Story by Kelly Canby
  • Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer: The Sky Runs Right Through Us by Reneé Pettitt-Schipp
  • Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors: Mother Speaks by Kirli Saunders

2016 winners

The 2016 winners were announced on 3 October 2016. The Premier's Prize went to This House of Grief by Helen Garner.[11]

  • Fiction: The Golden Age by Joan London
  • Non-fiction: This House of Grief by Helen Garner
  • Children's Books: The Duck and the Darklings by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Stephen Michael King
  • Poetry: The Guardians by Lucy Dougan
  • Western Australian History: Running Out? Water in WA by Ruth A. Morgan
  • Young Adult: The Protected by Claire Zorn
  • Western Australian Emerging Writers Award: Lost and Found by Brooke Davis
  • Scripts: Dust by Suzie Miller
  • Digital Narrative: Timelord Dreaming by David P. Reiter
  • People's Choice Award: Fever of Animals by Miles Allinson

2014 winners

The 2014 winners were announced on 22 September 2014.[12] The overall winner was Richard Flanagan's The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

2012 winners

The 2012 winners were announced on 16 September 2013.[13] The overall winner was Michelle de Kretser's Questions of Travel.

  • Fiction: Michelle de Kretser, Questions of Travel
  • People's Choice: Deborah Forster, The Meaning of Grace
  • Poetry: Robert Gray, Cumulus
  • Non-fiction: Roger Averill, Exile: The Lives and Hopes of Werner Pelz
  • Western Australian History: Aboriginal Studies Press, Kurlumarniny: We come from the Desert
  • Children's book:(tie) Stephen Herrick, Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend & Peter Macinnis, Australian Backyard Naturalist
  • Writing for Young Adults: Margo Lanagan, Sea Hearts
  • Script: Ingle Knight, The Fremantle Candidate
  • Digital Narrative: David Reiter, My Planets Reunion Memoir

2011 winners

The 2011 winners were announced on 17 September 2012.[14] The overall winner was Fiona Skyring's Justice: A History of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (ISBN 978-1921401633)

2010 winners

The 2010 winners were announced on 30 September 2011.[15] The overall winner was Kim Scott's That Deadman Dance

2009 winners

The 2008 & 2009 winners were announced September 2010.[16] The overall winner was Shirley Barrett's South Solitary.

2008 winners

The 2008 & 2009 winners were announced September 2010.[16] The overall winner was Chloe Hooper's The Tall Man.

2007 winners

The winners were announced in 2008.[17] The overall winner was Liz Lofthouse and Robert Ingpen's Ziba Came on a Boat.

2006 winners

The overall winner was Shaun Tan's The Arrival.

2005 winners

The overall winner was Davenport etc.. Cleared Out: First Contact in the Western Desert

2004 winners

The overall winner was Gail Jones' Sixty Lights

2003 winners

The overall winner was Reg Cribb's Last Cab to Darwin

2002 winners

The overall winner was Richard Bosworth's Mussolini

2001 winners

The overall winner was Tim Winton's Dirt Music

2000 winners

The overall winner was Michèle Drouart's Into the Wadi

  • Fiction: Simone Lazaroo The Australian Fiancé (Pan Macmillan)
  • Poetry: Mark Reid Parochial (Fremantle Arts Centre)
  • Non-fiction:
  • Children's book: Kirsty Murray Zarconi's Magic Flying Fish (Allen & Unwin)
  • Writing for Young Adults: Anthony Eaton The Darkness (University of Queensland)

1999 winners

The overall winner was Kim Scott's Benang: From the Heart

1998 winners

John Kinsella The Hunt (Fremantle Arts Centre)
Fay Zwicky The Gatekeeper's Wife (Brandl & Schlesinger)

1997 winners

  • Overall: (joint winners)
Robert Drewe The Drowner (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Gail Jones Fetish Lives (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Fiction: (joint winners)
Robert Drewe The Drowner (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Gail Jones Fetish Lives (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Poetry: Alec Choate The Wheels of Hama: Collected War Poems (Victor Publishing)
  • Historical & Critical Studies: Phillip Playford Carpet of Silver: the Wreck of the Zuytdorp (University of WA Press)
  • Children & Young Adult's Books: Deborah Lisson A Place of Safety (Mammoth (Reed Books))
  • Special Award: Songs of Strength: Sixteen Women Talk About Cancer (Women's Cancer Group (Macmillan))
  • Script Award: Dickon Oxenburgh and Andrew Ross Merry-Go-Round-In -the Sea (Black Swan Theatre)

1996 winners

Heather Grace The Lighthouse Spark (Fremantle Arts Centre)
Dave Warner City of Light (Fremantle Arts Centre)
  • Poetry: Dorothy Hewett Collected Poems (Fremantle Arts Centre)
  • Historical & Critical Studies: Banjo Woorunmurra and Howard Pedersen Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance (Magabala Books)
  • Children & Young Adult's Books: Helen Bell Idjhil (University of Western Australia Press)
  • Special Award: Mike Leonard The Kimberley - A journey through Northwest Australia (CIS Cardigan Street Publishers)
  • Script Award: Sarah Rossetti Culture Clash (Rosenbaum Whitbread)

1995 winners

  • Premier's Prize: Radical Take-offs by Glyn Parry (Allen & Unwin)
  • Fiction: The World Waiting to be Made by Simone Lazaroo (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Poetry: Sandstone by Andrew Taylor (University of Queensland Press)
  • Historical & Critical Studies: Searching for the Snowy by George Seddon (Allen & Unwin)
  • Children's & Young Adult's Books: Radical Take-offs by Glyn Parry (Allen & Unwin)
  • Special Award: Plants of the Perth Coast and Islands by Elizabeth Rippey and Barbara Rowland (University of WA Press)
  • Script: Whispering Demons by Heather Nimmo (Perth Theatre Company)

1994 winners

  • Premier's Prize: Peninsula - Dorothy Hewett (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Fiction: Letter to Constantine - Joan London (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Poetry: Peninsula - Dorothy Hewett (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Historical & Critical Studies: Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia - David Horton (Aboriginal Studies Press)
  • Children's Books: Rosa's Famous Elbow - Mike Lefroy & Peter Kendall (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Special Award: Summer Shorts - Peter Holland (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)
  • Script: Meekatharra - Lois Achimovich (Black Swan Theatre Company)

References

  1. ^ "Western Australian Premier's Book Award Winners". goodreads.com. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. ^ Writers anxious as a Book Award is edited, Artshub, 15 February 2015
  3. ^ "WA literary awards cut to biennial". The West Australian. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Premier's Book Awards: Categories and Prizes". State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 5 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b "Scott joins WA Writers Hall of Fame, WA Prem's Book Award winners announced". Books+Publishing. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ "Western Australian Premier's Literary Awards". History Countil of Western Australia.
  7. ^ "WA Premier's Book Awards announced". Books+Publishing. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ [1]
  9. ^ "2019 Winners". State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Western Australian Premier's Book Awards". State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Helen Garner wins WA Premier's Book Award for This House of Grief". The West Australian. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  12. ^ Western Australian Premier's Book Awards - 2014 Winners
  13. ^ Western Australian Premier's Book Awards - 2012 Winners
  14. ^ Western Australian Premier's Book Awards - 2011 Winners
  15. ^ Western Australian Premier's Book Awards - 2010 Winners
  16. ^ a b Past winners: 2008–2009
  17. ^ Media Statement 2007
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