The Australian Prime Minister's Literary Awards (PMLA) were announced at the end of 2007 by the incoming First Rudd Ministry following the 2007 election. They are administered by the Minister for the Arts.
The awards were designed as "a new initiative celebrating the contribution of Australian literature to the nation's cultural and intellectual life." The awards are held annually and initially provided a tax-free prize of A$100,000 in each category, making it Australia's richest literary award in total. In 2011, the prize money was split into $80,000 for each category winner and $5,000 for up to four short-listed entries. The award was initially given in four categories – fiction, non-fiction, young adult and children's fiction – as selected by three judging panels. In 2012, a poetry category was added and the former Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History was incorporated into the award. "The awards are open to works written by Australian citizens and permanent residents. Authors, publishers and literary agents are eligible to enter works, first published in the calendar year prior to the awards."
For the inaugural 2008 awards, six Australians were appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts to the judging panels: three each for the fiction and non-fiction awards.
2008 shortlist and winners
The final decisions on the shortlist and winners for the awards was made by Prime Minister (Kevin Rudd) based on the judging panels’ recommendations. The following entries, out of more than 170 received, were selected for the shortlist:
Listed in official shortlist order; winners in bold type.Burning In by Mireille JuchauEl Dorado by Dorothy PorterJamaica : a novel by Malcolm KnoxSorry by Gail JonesThe Complete Stories by David MaloufThe Widow and Her Hero by Tom KeneallyThe Zookeeper's War by Steven ConteA History of Queensland by Raymond EvansCultural Amnesia: Notes in the Margin of My Time by Clive JamesMy Life as a Traitor by Zarah Ghahramani with Robert HillmanNapoleon: The Path to Power, 1769–1799 by Philip DwyerOchre and Rust: Artefacts and Encounters on Australian Frontiers by Philip JonesShakespeare's Wife by Germaine GreerVietnam: the Australian War by Paul HamOn 15 May 2009 the panels for the 2009 awards were announced.
2009 shortlist and winners
The 2009 shortlist from more than 250 entries was announced on Friday 18 September 2009 in Melbourne. The winners were announced on 2 November 2009. Two works shared the non-fiction award.
Listed in official shortlist order; winners in bold type.The Pages by Murray BailPeople of the Book by Geraldine BrooksWanting by Richard FlanaganEverything I Knew by Peter GoldsworthyOne Foot Wrong by Sofie LagunaThe Boat by Nam LeThe Good Parents by Joan LondonVan Diemen's Land by James BoyceDoing Life: A Biography of Elizabeth Jolley by Brian DibbleGough Whitlam: A Moment in History by Jenny HockingThe Tall Man: Death and Life on Palm Island by Chloe HooperHouse of Exile: The Life and Times of Heinrich Mann and Nelly-Kroeger Mann by Evelyn JuersDrawing the Global Colour Line by Marilyn Lake and Henry ReynoldsThe Henson Case by David MarrAmerican Journeys by Don WatsonOn 30 March 2010 two new award categories were announced: "young adults' fiction" and "children's fiction". The prize for both new awards was also $100,000; its entries were judged by one judging panel.
On 14 May 2010 the panels for the 2010 awards were announced.
2010 shortlist and winners
From over 330 entries, the 2010 shortlist of 29 titles was announced on 15 July 2010. The winners were announced on 8 November 2010.
Listed in official shortlist order; winners in bold type.Summertime by J. M. CoetzeeThe Book of Emmett by Deborah ForsterThe Lakewoman by Alan GouldDog Boy by Eva HornungRansom by David MaloufLovesong by Alex MillerAs the Earth Turns Silver by Alison WongThe Water Dreamers: The Remarkable History of Our Dry Continent by Michael CathcartStrange Places: A Memoir of Mental Illness by Will ElliottThe Colony: A History of Early Sydney by Grace KarskensThe Life and Death of Democracy by John KeaneThe Blue Plateau: A Landscape Memoir by Mark TredinnickThe Ghost at the Wedding by Shirley WalkerStolen by Lucy ChristopherThe Winds of Heaven by Judith ClarkeConfessions of a Liar, Thief and Failed Sex God by Bill CondonThe Museum of Mary Child by Cassandra GoldsSwerve by Phillip GwynneJarvis 24 by David MetzenthenBeatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle WilliamsCicada Summer by Kate ConstableThe Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Andrew JoynerJust Macbeth! by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry DentonMr Chicken Goes to Paris by Leigh HobbsRunning with the Horses by Alison LesterStar Jumps by Lorraine MarwoodMannie and the Long Brave Day by Martine Murray, illustrated by Sally RippinTensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children by Jen StorerHarry and Hopper by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Freya BlackwoodEntries for the 2011 awards opened in January 2011 and an annual timetable was implemented: the shortlist was announced in late May and winners in early July. The awards were restructured to provide greater recognition for shortlisted authors. In each category, the winning book was awarded $80,000; $5,000 was awarded to up to four shortlisted titles. The eligibility criteria were extended to include e-books, and wordless picture books were eligible in the children's fiction category. The panellists from 2010 were returned for 2011.
2011 shortlist and winners
From 379 entries, the 2011 shortlist of 20 titles was announced on 26 May 2011. The winners, listed below in bold type, were announced on 8 July 2011.
Traitor by Stephen DaisleyNotorious by Roberta LowingWhen Colts Ran by Roger McDonaldGlissando by David MusgraveThat Deadman Dance by Kim ScottSydney by Delia FalconerHow To Make Gravy by Paul KellyThe Party by Richard McGregorThe Hard Light of Day by Rod MossClaude Lévi-Strauss: The Poet in the Laboratory by Patrick WilckenGood Oil by Laura BuzoGraffiti Moon by Cath CrowleyThe Three Loves of Persimmon by Cassandra GoldsAbout a Girl by Joanne HornimanThe Piper's Son by Melina MarchettaWhy I Love Australia by Bronwyn BancroftFlyaway by Lucy ChristopherNow by Morris GleitzmanApril Underhill, Tooth Fairy by Bob GrahamShake a Leg by Boori Monty Pryor and Jan OrmerodThe 2012 awards were launched in early December 2011; entries closed on 1 February 2012. A new award for poetry was announced and the Prize for Australian History was incorporated. The winners, listed below in bold type, were announced on 23 July 2012.
The panels for the 2012 awards consist of:
2012 shortlist and winners
From 509 entries, the 2012 shortlist of 25 titles was announced on 20 March 2012.
All That I Am by Anna FunderSarah Thornhill by Kate GrenvilleFoal's Bread by Gillian MearsAutumn Laing by Alex MillerForecast: Turbulence by Janette Turner HospitalAshes in the Air by Ali AlizadehInterferon Psalms by Luke DaviesArmour by John KinsellaSouthern Barbarians by John MateerNew and Selected Poems by Gig RyanA Short History of Christianity by Geoffrey BlaineyMichael Kirby Paradoxes and Principles by Alexander Jonathan (A. J.) BrownKinglake-350 by Adrian HylandWhen Horse Became Saw by Anthony MacrisAn Eye for Eternity: The Life of Manning Clark by Mark McKenna1835: The Founding of Melbourne and the Conquest of Australia by James BoyceThe Biggest Estate on Earth by Bill GammageBreaking the Sheep's Back by Charles MassyIndifferent Inclusion: Aboriginal people and the Australian Nation by Russell McGregorImmigration Nation: The Secret History of Us by Renegade Films AustraliaA Straight Line to My Heart by Bill CondonBeing Here by Barry JonsbergPan's Whisper by Sue LawsonWhen We Were Two by Robert NewtonAlaska by Sue SalibaEvangeline, The Wish Keeper's Helper by Maggie AldersonThe Jewel Fish of Karnak by Graeme BaseFather's Day by Anne BrooksbankCome Down, Cat!, written by Sonya Hartnett and illustrated by Lucia MasciulloGoodnight, Mice!, written by Frances Watts and illustrated by Judy WatsonThe 2013 awards were launched in late 2012; entries closed on 17 January 2013.
The panels for the 2013 awards consist of:
2013 shortlist and winners
The 2013 shortlist of 29 titles was announced on 17 June 2013. The winners, listed below in bold type, were announced on 15 August 2013 at the State Library of Queensland.
Floundering by Romy AshThe Chemistry of Tears by Peter CareyQuestions of Travel by Michelle de KretserLost Voices by Christopher KochMateship with Birds by Carrie TiffanyBurning Rice by Eileen ChongThe Sunlit Zone by Lisa JacobsonJam Tree Gully: Poems by John KinsellaLiquid Nitrogen by Jennifer MaidenCrimson Crop by Peter RoseBradman's War by Malcolm KnoxUncommon Soldier by Chris MastersPlein Airs and Graces by Adrian MitchellThe Australian Moment by George MegalogenisBold Palates by Barbara SantichThe Sex Lives of Australians: A History by Frank BongiornoSandakan by Paul HamGough Whitlam by Jenny HockingFarewell, dear people by Ross McMullinThe Censor's Library by Nicole MooreEverything Left Unsaid by Jessica DavidsonThe Children of the King by Sonya HartnettGrace Beside Me by Sue McPhersonFog a Dox by Bruce PascoeFriday Brown by Vikki WakefieldRed by Libby GleesonToday We Have No Plans by Jane Godwin and illustrated by Anna WalkerWhat's the Matter, Aunty May? by Peter Friend and illustrated by Andrew JoynerThe Beginner's Guide to Revenge by Marianne MusgroveThe 2014 awards were launched in December 2013; entries closed on 28 February 2014. The winners, listed below in bold type, were announced on 8 December 2014.
The panels for the 2014 awards consist of:
2014 shortlist and winners
The 2014 shortlist of 30 titles was announced on 19 October 2014.
A World of Other People by Steven Carroll (joint winner)The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan (joint winner)The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlaneCoal Creek by Alex MillerBelomor by Nicolas RothwellTempo by Sarah DayEldershaw by Stephen Edgar1953 by Geoff PageDrag Down to Unlock or Place an Emergency Call by Melinda SmithChains of Snow by Jakob ZigurasMoving Among Strangers by Gabrielle Carey (joint winner)The Lucky Culture by Nick CaterCitizen Emperor by Philip DwyerRendezvous with Destiny by Michael FulliloveMadeleine: A Life of Madeleine St John by Helen Trinca (joint winner)Broken Nation: Australians in the Great War by Joan Beaumont (joint winner)First Victory 1914 by Mike CarltonAustralia's Secret War: How Unionists Sabotaged Our Troops in World War II by Hal G.P. Colebatch (joint winner)Arthur Phillip: Sailor, Mercenary, Governor, Spy by Michael PembrokeThe Forgotten Rebels of Eureka by Clare WrightThe Incredible Here and Now by Felicity CastagnaPureheart by Cassandra GoldsGirl Defective by Simmone HowellLife in Outer Space by Melissa KeilThe First Third by Will KostakisSilver Buttons by Bob GrahamSong for a Scarlet Runner by Julie HuntMy Life as an Alphabet by Barry JonsbergKissed by the Moon by Alison LesterRules of Summer by Shaun TanThe 2015 awards were launched in December 2014; entries closed on 28 February 2015.
The panels for the 2015 awards consist of:
2015 shortlist and winners
The 2015 shortlist of 30 titles was announced on 23 November 2015. The winners were announced in Sydney on 14 December 2015.
Amnesia by Peter CareyIn Certain Circles by Elizabeth HarrowerGolden Boys by Sonya HartnettThe Golden Age by Joan LondonTo Name Those Lost by Rohan WilsonDevadatta's Poems by Judith BeveridgeEarth Hour by David MaloufExhibits of the Sun by Stephen EdgarPoems 1957–2013 by Geoffrey LehmannTowards the Equator: New & Selected Poems by Alex SkovronEncountering the Pacific: In the Age of Enlightenment by John GascoigneJohn Olsen: An Artist's Life by Darleen BungeyPrivate Bill by Barrie CassidyThis House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial by Helen GarnerWild Bleak Bohemia: Marcus Clarke, Adam Lindsay Gordon and Henry Kendall by Michael WildingCharles Bean by Ross CoulthartDescent into Hell by Peter BruneMenzies at War by Anne HendersonThe Europeans in Australia—Volume Three: Nation by Alan AtkinsonThe Spy Catchers — The Official History of ASIO Vol 1 by David HornerAre You Seeing Me? by Darren GrothThe Astrologer's Daughter by Rebecca LimThe Minnow by Diana SweeneyThe Protected by Claire ZornTigers on the Beach by Doug MacLeodMy Dad is a Bear by Nicola Connelly and illustrated by Annie WhiteMy Two Blankets by Irena Kobald and illustrated by Freya BlackwoodOne Minute's Silence by David Metzenthen and illustrated by Michael CamilleriTwo Wolves by Tristan BancksWithering-by-Sea by Judith Rossell2016 shortlist and winners
The 2016 shortlist of 30 titles was announced on 17 October 2016. The winners were announced on 9 November 2015.
Forever Young by Steven CarrollThe Life of Houses by Lisa GortonThe World Repair Video Game by David IrelandQuicksand by Steve ToltzThe Natural Way of Things by Charlotte WoodNet Needle by Robert AdamsonCocky's Joy by Michael FarrellThe Hazards by Sarah Holland-BattWaiting for the Past by Les MurrayThe Ladder by Simon WestThe Story of Australia's People. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Australia by Geoffrey BlaineyLet My People Go: The untold story of Australia and the Soviet Jews 1959–89 by Sam Lipski and Suzanne D RutlandRed Professor: The Cold War Life of Fred Rose by Peter Monteath and Valerie MuntNed Kelly: A Lawless Life by Doug MorrisseyThe War with Germany: Volume III – The Centenary History of Australia and the Great War by Robert StevensonTom Roberts and the Art of Portraiture by Julie CotterOn Stalin's Team: The Years of Living Dangerously in Soviet Politics by Sheila FitzpatrickThea Astley: Inventing her own Weather by Karen LambSecond Half First by Drusilla ModjeskaIsland Home by Tim WintonAdelaide's Secret World by Elise HurstSister Heart by Sally MorganPerfect by Danny Parker and Freya BlackwoodThe Greatest Gatsby: A visual book of grammar by Tohby RiddleMr Huff by Anna WalkerBecoming Kirrali Lewis by Jane HarrisonIlluminae: The Illuminae Files_01 by Amie Kaufman and Jay KristoffA Single Stone by Meg McKinlayIn Between Days by Vikki WakefieldGreen Valentine by Lili Wilkinson