As controversy continues to dog the Miles Franklin Literary Award – Australia’s longest standing and most prestigious – the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, the country’s richest, quietly goes about its business.
In 57 years, the Miles Franklin has been presented only 13 times to women writers. On many occasions, the shortlist has been exclusively male. Frustration has reached such a pitch that there is talk of the establishment of a separate award exclusively for women.
In addition, critics believe that the stipulation by Miles Franklin herself, that the award should be presented to the novel that best portrays “Australian life in any of its phases”, is interpreted too literally. Novels by great Australian writers such as Thomas Kenneally and Kate Grenville have been excluded simply by not being set in Australia.
The Prime Minister’s Awards
Established as recently as 2008, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards are much wider in their reach (in addition to fiction, categories include non-fiction, young adults and children). They are also richer – $A80,000 tax-free is paid to the winner of each category plus $5,000 is presented to each shortlisted writer.
There are considerably fewer restrictions, presented as they are to writers living in Australia. Subject matter is irrelevant – the awards celebrate quality writing and storytelling.
Debut novelist Stephen Daisley and his winning work for fiction is a case in point.
Set in Gallipoli during the First World War, Traitor is the story of a young New Zealand soldier and a Turkish doctor thrown together in the same hospital. A strong bond grows between them, a bond so strong that David will betray his country for Mahmoud.
Born in New Zealand but now living in Western Australia, Daisley was able to reference his own military experiences whilst writing Traitor, a book he wrote in the back shed whilst raising five children.
Acclaimed on publication, the book was not eligible for consideration for the Miles Franklin due to the location of the story.
Non-fiction
Central Australian artist Rod Moss collected the non-fiction award for his The Hard Light of Day. Moving to Alice Springs in 1985 to teach painting, Moss became inducted into the local Arremte indigenous customs, developing a close relationship with an elder as a result. The book is his and his Aborigine ‘family’ story, providing a raw insight into indigenous life in the ‘Red Centre’ of Australia.
Fiction for young people
Having previously been awarded the NSW Premier’s Literary Prize for Young Adults, Cath Crowley picked up the equivalent Prime Minister’s award with her fifth book, Graffiti Moon.
The children’s fiction award went to author Boori Monty Pryor and illustrator Jan Ormerod for their picture book Shake a Leg.
Both prizes for young readers were first introduced in 2010.
Keith Lawrence - Published writer of articles in magazines, newspapers and websites, predominantly on culture, alongside ghostwriter/editor/copywriter.
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