The Queensland Literary Awards is a community driven awards program that was established in 2012. 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These Awards have a focus on supporting new writing through the Emerging Queensland Writer - Manuscript Award and Unpublished Indigenous writer - David Unaipon Award.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."
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.
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 genuinely 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.
There are currently twelve award categories including:
Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance
University of Queensland Fiction Book Award
University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award
Griffith University Children's Book Award
University of Southern Queensland History Book Award
University of Southern Queensland Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award
State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award
Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award
Emerging Queensland Writer - Manuscript Award
Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Awards
The Courier-Mail People Choice Queensland Book of the Year
The Awards are judged by independent panels of writers, critics, academics and publishers. The Awards are presented to entrants whom judges deem to possess the highest literary merit.
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance - Warrior, Libby Connors
The Courier Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award — On the road...with the kids, John Ahern
University of Queensland Fiction Book Award — The Golden Age, Joan London
University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award — The Bush : Travels in the Heart of Australia, Don Watson
University of Southern Queensland History Book Award — ANZAC, The Unauthorised Biography, Carolyn Holbrook
State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award - Waiting for the Past, Les Murray
Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Merciless Gods, Christos Tsiolkas
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award — The Pause, John Larkin
Children's Book Award — A Single Stone, Meg McKinlay
Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Awards - Megan McGrath and Rebecca Jessen
Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — Aurora, Elizabeth Kasmer
Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — The First Octoroon or Report of an Experimental Child, Andrew Booth
The Courier Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award — How to do a Liver Transplant: Stories from my Surgical Life, Kellee Slater
University of Queensland Fiction Book Award — The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Richard Flanagan
University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award — 1914: The Year the World Ended, Paul Ham
University of Southern Queensland History Book Award — Broken Nation, Joan Beaumont
State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award — Earth Hour, David Malouf
Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Only the Animals, Ceridwen Dovey
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award — The Cracks in the Kingdom, Jaclyn Moriarty
Children's Book Award — Refuge, Jackie French and Rules of Summer, Shaun Tan (joint winners)
Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — We Come From Saltwater People, Cathy McLennan
Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — It’s Not Just Black and White, Lesley & Tammy Williams
The Courier Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award — The Secret Keeper, Kate Moreton
Deloitte Fiction Book Award — Mullumbimby, Melissa Lucashenko
University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award — Boy, Lost, Kristina Olsson
University of Southern Queensland History Book Award — The Flash of Recognition, Jane Lydon
State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award — Jam Tree Gully, John Kinsella
Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Like a House on Fire, Cate Kennedy
Griffith University Young Adult Book Award — A Corner of White, Jaclyn Moriarty
Children's Book Award — Don't Let a Spoonbill in the Kitchen!, Narelle Oliver
Gadens Feature Film Script Award — Healing, Craig Monahan and Alison Nisselle
Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — Gap, Rebecca Jessen
Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — Heat and Light, Ellen van Neerven
Fiction Book Award — Cold Light, Frank Moorhouse
Non-Fiction Book Award — The People Smuggler, Robin De Crespigny
History Book Award — he Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia, Bill Gammage
Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate - Harry Williams Award — The Australian Moment: How We Were Made For These Times, George Megalogenis
Science Writers Award — Sex, Genes & Rock 'n' Roll, Rob Brooks
Poetry Collection - Judith Wright Calanthe Award — Crimson Crop, Peter Rose
Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award — Turbulence, Janette Turner Hospital
Young Adult Book Award — The Ink Bridge, Neil Grant
Children's Book Award — Kumiko and the Shadow Catchers, Briony Stewart
Film Script Award — Dead Europe, Louise Fox
Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award — Island of the Unexpected, Catherine Titasey
Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award — Story, Siv Parker
Drama Script (Stage) Award — War Crimes, Angela Betzien
Television Script Award — Mabo, Sue Smith
