Winners announced for 2021 Queensland Literary Awards

With a book that puts the spotlight on a terrible part of Queensland’s history, Badtjala writer Fiona Foley wins the $25,000 Queensland Premier’s Award.
Visual artist, and writer Dr Fiona Foley. Image: UQP.

A book reclaiming the history of how Aboriginal workers were once paid in opium has won the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards.

Badtjala artist and Fiona Foley has been awarded the $25,000 Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance for her book Biting the Clouds: A Badtjala perspective on the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act, 1897 (University of Queensland Press).

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Giselle Bueti has written for publications such as The Advertiser, The Adelaide Review, RIP IT UP, BMA magazine and Yewth Mag. Previously, Giselle worked as Arts Editor for The AU Review and Content Growth Editor at ArtsHub. She is based in Melbourne, Victoria.