The ABC has won 13 awards at the 2021 MEAA Queensland Clarion Awards, including for Rural Journalism, Investigative Journalism, Health Reporting, Indigenous Issues Reporting, Innovation, Radio Current Affairs, TV Current Affairs and Television Camerawork.
The Clarions recognise the State’s most outstanding reporting over the past year.
Mark Willacy from the ABC Investigations team again took home the award for Investigative Journalism, sharing the honour with Rory Callinan for their reporting “Who Dares Kills”, part of the long-running probe into alleged war crimes by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
The judges said their “dogged investigation uncovered new details of the senseless slaughter of civilians in Afghanistan by Australia’s SAS. The behaviour of our most elite soldiers abroad reflects on all Australians and the incidents uncovered were later investigated by the Brereton Inquiry into war crimes.”
Jemima Burt took out the Rural Journalism category for “Weipa under the thumb of Rio Tinto”. The judges praised her as “a great example of a journalist in a regional patch working hard to get an important issue, that sits outside of the regular news cycle, out there”.
Best Regional and Community Broadcast Report went to Rachel McGhee for “Golden age of Drag” with the judges saying the story “is a prime example of the importance of how regional journalism helps to build community.”
Michael Atkin from 7.30 won two awards, for Health Reporting and Indigenous Issues Reporting, and was a finalist in another four.
ABC News Digital again took the prize for Innovation, with the award this year going to the ABC Story Lab team of Tim Leslie, Simon Elvery, Georgina Piper, Cristen Tilley and Matt Liddy for an entry the judges said “took the noise out of the climate change debate” with innovative graphics and data analysis.
Peter McCutcheon won for best Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique, Jessica Rendall for Multicultural Reporting and Lewi Hirvela for Artwork, Cartoon, Illustration or Graphic.
Sarah Richards was named Most Outstanding Final Year Journalism Student for her work for ABC Online on people with disabilities, such as this story, which the judges said “explored issues not widely canvassed in the media”.
Josh Robertson won best Radio News Current Affairs for his AM report “Cover up in aged care”, which revealed a five-year cover-up at Eventide Aged Care home in Rockhampton.
The Australian Story episode on nine-year-old Quentin Bayles. “About A Boy”, won the TV Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary or Special Broadcast award for the team of Rebecca Armstrong, Angela Leonardi, Quentin McDermott and Helen Grasswill.
Scott Kyle took out the John Bean Memorial Award for Television Camerawork, which is named in honour of the highly respected ABC cinematographer.
Rural Journalism
- WINNER Jemima Burt, ABC Far North, “Weipa under the thumb of Rio Tinto”
Judge’s comment: Jemima Burt’s “Weipa under the thumb of Rio Tinto’ stood out for its originality and bringing the story of one community to the fore. And the dilemmas and complex relationships that regional and rural communities face with large corporations and employers. A great example of a journalist in a regional patch working hard to get an important issue, that sits outside of the regular news cycle, out there.
- Michael Atkin, ABC 7.30 and ABC News online, “Man-Made Disaster: The Battle For
Bushfire Damages” - Caitlyn Gribbin, ABC TV Landline, “Getting old in the country: a push for aged care
closer to home”
Health Reporting
- WINNER Michael Atkin, ABC News Online and ABC 7.30, “Home Care Desperation – The Long Wait For Help”
Judges comments: Michael Atkin’s investigation into the crisis being faced by families who need to use the home care sector was outstanding. Atkin’s thorough research not only exposed how the government’s own figures didn’t reflect the real wait times but laid out the human impact of underfunding and poor regulation of the home care system. Journalism at its finest.
Business Journalism
- Michael Atkin, ABC 7.30 and ABC online, “Investigating the Sterling New Life Housing Disaster and Left In Limbo”
Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique
- WINNER Peter McCutcheon, ABC News online, “Queensland election politics”
Judges comments: Peter managed to ‘hit the nail on the head’ in each of his three articles. In a world where free speech and journalism is constantly being challenged, his piece on state government plans to curtail free speech during elections was written for the everyday Queenslander, not just for journalists whose livelihoods were at risk. Succinct, informative, engaging.
Multicultural Reporting
- WINNER Jessica Rendall, ABC News Online and 7pm TV News, “Migrant Voters”‘
Judges comments: This category had a number of quality stories, and it was extremely tough to split the finalists with Anna Hartley and Lisa Ryan deserving of recognition. Jessica Rendall’s stories, however, stood out as exceptional pieces that expertly highlighted the difficulties some migrants faced in exercising our most fundamental democratic right. The right to vote.
- Anna Hartley,ABC TV, ABC online and ABC 7pm, “A life lost, a family destroyed and a mother let down”
Indigenous Issues Reporting
- WINNER Michael Atkin, ABC 7.30 and ABC News Online, “Abuse Of Power: Sexual Abuse Allegations In Youth Detention”
Judges comments: The production of the story was also empathetic and respectful of talent who needed to hide their identity by using techniques that was still able to elicit a sense of knowing and emotion. This is a powerful story that was meticulously researched, created real change and pushed the national narrative around youth detention forward.
- Marian Faa, ABC 7pm News and ABC online, “Climate change and human rights in the Torres Strait”
Broadcast Interview
- Michael Atkin, ABC 7.30 and ABC online, “Aged Care Fallout: Holding the Minister To Account”
Artwork, Cartoon, Illustration or Graphic
- WINNER Lewi Hirvela, iview, ABC Weekend Breakfast and ABC News Channel, “Australian Dinosaurs in 3D”
Judges comments: Bringing dinosaurs to life is no easy feat, but the ABC’s Lewi Hirvela did exactly that, creating a Jurassic experience of prehistoric Queensland. This entry stood out for its creativity, innovation, attention to detail and technical excellence, that proved both captivating and educational for its audience.
Innovation
- WINNER Tim Leslie, Simon Elvery, Georgina Piper, Cristen Tilley and Matt Liddy, ABC News Digital, “Why after a century of talking about climate change, now is the time to act”
Judges comments: The judges felt this entry by the ABC News Digital team took the noise out of the climate change debate, showing its been a growing concern for decades. Innovative graphics and data analysis delivered on a user-friendly platform simplified the science and maths of climate change against the political messaging that has long dominated public debate.
- Matt Wordsworth, Rebecca Richardson and Lewi Hirvela, ABC Youtube, “ABC Video On Demand”
Most Outstanding Final Year Journalism Student – Graduating 2021
- WINNER Sarah Richards, ABC Online, “Stories about people with disabilities”
Judges comments: Student journalist Sarah Richards has explored issues not widely canvassed in the media. She has proved skilled at earning the trust of her interviewees who have been prepared to share deeply personal experiences. Her work had impact, inspiring an academic to extend their research to involve people with disabilities.
- Zoe Coleman, ABC News, “A refugee from Logan holds onto his NBA dream in the face of COVID-19 travel bans”
New Journalist of the Year
- Marian Faa, ABC online, “COVID-19 in the Torres Strait”
Print/Text categories
Print/Text Feature Article
- Bridget Judd, ABC News online, “Suicide prevention coverage”
Radio/Audio categories
Radio News Current Affairs
- WINNER Josh Robertson, ABC AM, “Cover up in aged care”
Judges comments: Josh Robertson’s story revealed a five-year cover-up at Eventide Aged Care home in Rockhampton and gave a powerful voice to a victim unable to speak up for herself. Roberston earned the trust of the victim’s husband, and allowed his powerful interview to convey his outrage and disgust. The story cast a light on a broader issue of abuse in aged care facilities, and is a worthy winner in an exceptional field of finalists.
- Rachel Riga, ABC Radio News,“Parents fight for future of Barrett school”
- Mark Willacy, ABC AM, “Who Dares Kills”
Television/Audio Visual categories
TV News Report
- Mark Willacy, ABC TV News, “Secrets of War”
TV Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary or Special Broadcast
- WINNER Rebecca Armstrong, Angela Leonardi, Quentin McDermott and Helen Grasswill, ABC Australian Story, “About a Boy”
Judges comments: Rebecca Armstrong, Angela Leonardi, Quentin McDermott and Helen Grasswill have produced a timely piece of human-interest journalism that clearly highlights the deleterious impacts of racism, discrimination and bullying on mental health. By sharing the story of nine-year-old Quaden Bayles, this thought-provoking documentary explores themes of identity, trauma and resilience in a respectful and nuanced manner, and in doing so, also manages to restore faith in human kindness, spirit and determination.
- Peter McCutcheon, Scott Kyle, Chris Gillette and David McSween, ABC 7.30, “Life in Limbo”
The John Bean Memorial Award for Television Camerawork
- WINNER Scott Kyle, ABC Television, “730 Christmas Island”
Judges comments: The winning entry exhibited accomplished and confident cinematography which made the most of the location. Well composed shots and a refined look elevated and supported the story. A clear standout among the entries.
- Nickoles Coleman, ABC News Breakfast, ABC News Channel, “Emergency Flood Coverage Port Macquarie”
Regional and Community categories
Regional And Community Feature Article or Opinion Piece
- Melissa Maykin, ABC News Online and ABC Capricornia Radio, “The devastating grief of stillbirth”
Regional And Community News Report – Print/Text
- Tobi Loftus, Cristy-Lee Macqueen and Melissa Maddison, ABC Tropical North, “Valkyrie State School water crisis”
Regional and Community – Broadcast Report
- WINNER Rachel McGhee, ABC News 7PM TV bulletin, “Golden age of drag”
Judges comments: “Golden Age of Drag” is an original story that has a profound impact, giving a voice to a young boy challenging the stereotype of drag queens in a regional community. Rachel’s ability to convince the talent to share their sensitive story, and the respectful way in which she tells it is what sets this story apart from others. A newsworthy piece, composed incisively and creatively, this story is a prime example of the importance of how regional journalism helps to build community.
- Marian Faa, ABC 7.30, “Delivering COVID-19 vaccines in the Torres Strait”
- Rachel McGhee, Russel Talbot and Inga Stunzner, ABC News 7PM TV bulletin,
“Mine Fight”
Investigative Journalism
- WINNER Mark Willacy and Rory Callinan, ABC News Online, “Who Dares Kills”
Judges comments: Using whistleblower testimony, special forces sources, secret documents, and evidence gathered on the ground in Afghanistan , Mark Willacy and Rory Callinan’s dogged investigation uncovered new details of the senseless slaughter of civilians in Afghanistan by Australia’s SAS. The behaviour of our most elite soldiers abroad reflects on all Australians and the incidents uncovered were later investigated by the Brereton Inquiry into war crimes.
- Michael Atkin, ABC 7.30 and ABC News Online, “Abuse Of Power: Sexual Abuse Allegations In Youth Detention”
