The Queensland Literary Awards is an awards program established in 2012 by the Queensland literary community, funded by sponsors and administered by the State Library of Queensland. 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These Awards have a focus on supporting new writing through the Emerging Queensland Writer – Manuscript Award and Unpublished Indigenous writer – David Unaipon Award.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."
History
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 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.
Award categories
There are currently twelve award categories including: Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Award Queensland Writers Fellowships The University of Queensland Fiction Book Award The University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award Griffith University Young Adult Book Award Griffith University Children's Book Award University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award for a Short Story Collection Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Writer Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer The Courier-Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year
Judging
The Awards are judged by independent panels of writers, critics, journalists, academics and booksellers. The Awards are presented to works the judges determine possess the highest literary merit.
Winners
2023
The winners were announced on 6 September 2023:
Queensland Premier's Award for a work of State Significance – The Jaguar by Sarah Holland-Batt The Courier-Mail People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award – Sita Walker for The God of No Good The University of Queensland Fiction Book Award – Alexis Wright for Praiseworthy The University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award – Debra Dank for We Come With This Place Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection – Lionel Fogarty for Harvest Lingo University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award for a Short Story Collection – Katerina Gibson for Women I Know Griffith University Young Adult Book Award – Biffy James for Completely Normal (and Other Lies) Children's Book Award – Katrina Nannestad for Waiting for the Storks Queensland Premier's Young Publishers and Writers Award – Jasmin McGaughey Jonathan O'Brien Queensland Writers Fellowships – Al Campbell for "Door 64" B. R. Dionysius for "The Eromanga Sea" Melanie Saward for "The Next Chapter" Glendower Award for Emerging Queensland Author – Steve MinOn for "First Name Second Name" David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Writer – Maria van Neerven for "To Give Them a Voice"
2022
The winners were announced on 8 September 2022: