The Age dominates the Quill Awards
The Age has once again dominated the Quill Awards for excellence in Victorian journalism, winning a total of 12 awards, significantly more than any other organisation.
Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker won the major prize, the Graham Perkin Australian journalist of the year award, and were part of the Gold Quill-winning team, leading the Age and ABC Four Corners coverage of China’s growing influence in Australia.
Adele Ferguson and Sarah Danckert won three Quills for Business News, Investigative Journalism and TV/Video Feature, while the Age won awards across a range categories.
Cartoonist Ron Tandberg, who died earlier this year, won the Quill for best cartoon.
The winning cartoon by the late Ron Tandberg, about his fight with cancer.
Photo: Ron Tandberg“The Age has dominated the news agenda over the past 12 months and it is testament to the talent, expertise and dedication across all of our newsroom that we won awards in so many categories - including breaking news, design, investigations, business and video," said editor Alex Lavelle.
“We are all about teamwork so I am also particularly pleased that we won the award for breaking news for our coverage of the devastating Bourke Street attack.
"Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker’s award as Australian journalists of the year is richly deserved. They have been outstanding.”
Age journalists were also highly commended in six categories.
The judges said of Baker and McKenzie: “They have dominated investigative journalism in Australia for more than a decade.
"Nick is the most decorated journalist in the history of the Quills, having twice won the Gold Quill. The past year was an outstanding one for the pair, uncovering the extent of Chinese activities in Australia, and Sam Dastyari’s tip off to a Chinese figure that he was under surveillance by intelligence agencies.
"Those stories led to major national security reforms, and of course cost the senator his political career. And who in Victoria will forget the "Lobster with a 'mobster'?"
Will Swanton of the Australian won the other national award, the Harry Gordon sports journalist of the year.
The Age at the Quills
THE GRAHAM PERKIN AUSTRALIAN JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD
Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker
THE GOLD QUILL
The Age & ABC Four Corners: “China’s Influence – Power and Payments”
ARTWORK
Jamie Brown, The Sunday Age: “Generation Game”
BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE
The Age Newsroom: “Bourke Street Attack”
BUSINESS NEWS
Adele Ferguson and Sarah Danckert: “Crumbs”
CARTOON
Ron Tandberg: “The Big C”
COVERAGE OF AN ISSUE OR EVENT
The Age and ABC: “China’s Influence – Power and Payments”
THE GRANT HATTAM QUILL FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (JOINT WINNERS)
Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert and Klaus Toft and ABC Four Corners: “The Crook, the
Police and the Retirement Village”
Nick McKenzie, James Massola, Richard Baker and Fergus Hunter: “Chinese Influence and Dastyari’s Fall”
NEWS REPORT IN WRITING
Josh Gordon, Richard Willingham and Benjamin Preiss: “Speaker of the Houses”
THE TAC TOWARDS ZERO ROAD SAFETY QUILL
Ebony Bowden: “Fury Road: Melbourne’s Road Rage Epidemic”
TV/VIDEO FEATURE (LONG FORM)
Adele Ferguson, Klaus Toft and Sarah Danckert, The Age and ABC Four Corners: “Bleed Them Dry Until They Die”
HIGHLY COMMENDED (various categories)
Jim Pavlidis; Michael Bachelard and Kate Geraghty; Justin McManus; Peter Martin; Eddie Jim; Clay Lucas; Nick McKenzie