According to a statement released by the Australian Society of Authors, the organisation is “is shocked and disappointed to learn of the decision of the new Queensland State Government to axe the State’s long-established and well-respected Premier’s Literary Awards.”
The prestigious awards have celebrated and served the literary community of Queensland and the country since they were established in 1999. In 2011, the awards bestowed prize money of $23,000 across 14 categories, not only rewarding established writers but also gave much-needed encouragement, both financially and in practice, to emerging voices. As authorship is notoriously low-paid work, the decision by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman is a critical blow to Australian authors, who traditionally rely on numerous sources of income, including awards and prizes, in order to survive.
