The Eureka Street/Reader's Feast Award was announced today in conjunction with Eureka Street's other annual ethical essay-writing award, the Margaret Dooley Award, offered to writers aged under 30.
Eureka Street, an online journal published by the Australian Jesuits, provides reflection and commentary on politics, culture and current events from a social justice and human rights perspective.
In light of the journal's 20th anniversary in 2011, entrants to this year's Eureka Street/Reader's Feast Award were asked to project 20 years into the future, and submit a piece of speculative fiction or non-fiction portraying 'Australia 2031', with a particular emphasis on human rights and social justice issues.
The winners are:
Margaret Dooley Award
Patrick McCabe
Patrick McCabe studies Law and Arts at the University of Adelaide. He has previously written and subedited for On Dit, Adelaide University's student newspaper.
Eureka Street/Reader's Feast Award
Lea McInerney
After early careers in palliative care nursing and social policy, Lea McInerney now works as a freelance facilitator and writer. She recently completed a diploma in professional writing at RMIT.
'It is an honour to once again partner with Reader's Feast Bookstore on this unique award, which for the past four years has sought to encourage excellence, imagination and depth of reflection in ethical essay writing in Australia,' said Tim Kroenert, Assistant Editor of Eureka Street.
'We thank Reader's Feast General Manager Mary Dalmau for her generosity and vision in offering this annual $5000 award, and look forward to partnering with her again next year.'
Dalmau congratulates the winners of these awards and is delighted once again to work with Eureka Street on this important addition to the literary awards calendar of Australia. 'The award will be awarded in 2012 as part of the biennial Crime & Justice Festival,' said Dalmau.
The winning, placing and highly commended essays from both the Eureka Street/Reader's Feast Award and the Margaret Dooley Award will appear weekly in Eureka Street, beginning with Lea McInerney's essay on Wednesday 20 July.
Eureka Street/Reader's Feast Award
Winner:
Lea McInerney
Highly commended:
Meg Mundell
Julie McNeill
Selma Sergent
Margaret Dooley Award for Young Writers:
First Place:
Patrick McCabe
Second Place:
Sarah Burnside
Third Place:
Nadine Rabah
Highly Commended:
Jessica Voelker
