2012 Queensland Clarion Awards

Newspaper journalist Hedley Thomas has won the 2012 Queensland Journalist of the Year Award for his powerful reports on the inquiry into the operation of the Wivenhoe Dam during the 2011 Queensland floods.

Award judges said Thomas’s reports in national newspaper The Australian single-handedly exposed a huge set of flaws in an expensive judicial inquiry that took many months and was set to bring down a useless, error-laden report.

Thomas also won two other Clarion Awards - Best Investigative Journalism, and Best News Report (Online/Print category) - for his reports on the inquiry.

 “The fallout from Hedley’s excellent work is continuing, and set to do so for years. Society is the better for it,” judges of the Investigative Journalism Award said.

 Close to 300 guests attended the Clarion Awards presentation dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, August 25.

 ABC Open journalist Miranda Grant won the Young Journalist of the Year Award for Aftermath: stories of disaster, resilience and recovery.

 Judges said Miranda’s “standout” videos on the recovery journey of Grantham flood victims were engaging and exceptionally well crafted.

 “A progressive young journalist, Miranda combined skilful camerawork, editing and scripting to produce an insightful series that truly captured the essence of a community trying to move forward,” they said.

 Former Ten News chief of staff Steve O’Ferrall won the Clarion Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism for both his own stellar 42-year career, and for his mentoring of many aspiring camera operators and journalists who now produce brilliant work.

 “Along the way he not only helped many aspiring camera operators and journalists, he inspired them to chase their dreams to be the best they could be,” the judges said.

 “Many, as a result, have headed the lists of top people in their fields. As an indication of his standing in the industry, Steve was praised by news people from competing networks.”

 The Clarion Awards received 394 entries for the 32 award categories. This year saw the introduction of two new awards: Sports Photography and Health and Wellness.

Congratulations to the 2012 Clarion Award winners... 

2012 Queensland Journalist of the Year
Sponsored by Queensland Newspapers
Hedley Thomas, The Australian

Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism
Sponsored by University of Queensland
Steve O'Ferrall, Network Ten

Major Awards - Investigative Journalism
Sponsored by Griffith University
Hedley Thomas, The Australian, Flood Cover-up

Major Awards - Young Journalist of the Year
Sponsored by QLD Parliamentary Media Gallery
Miranda Grant, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Open, Aftermath: Stories of Disaster, Resilience and Recovery

All Media - Broadcast Interview
Sponsored by Queensland Police Union
Bruce Atkinson, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Western Queensland Floods 2

All Media - Business Journalism
Sponsored by Canegrowers
Matthew Cranston, The Australian Financial Review, Foreign Investment

All Media - Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique
Sponsored by Three Plus
Paul Syvret, The Courier-Mail, Tuesday View

All Media - Health and Wellness
Sponsored by Health NGO’s Queensland
Ian Townsend, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Lead Poisoning: A Silent Epidemic

All Media - Indigenous Affairs Reporting
Sponsored by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance
Stefan Armbruster, SBS, Body of Work

All Media - Most Outstanding Journalism Student – Metropolitan
Sponsored by The Department of Premier and Cabinet
Carl Smith, University of Queensland / ABC, Humans, Robots and the Future
Highly Commended: Alexander Tamayo , University of Queensland, Hitting a full stop: The Protests of the 'Truth Truck for Children' and LGBT activists held in Brisbane

All Media - Most Outstanding Journalism Student - Regional
Sponsored by The Department of Premier and Cabinet
Alison Francis, University of Queensland- Regional Campus, Refugee Problem Becomes Solution for Regional Employer

All Media - Multicultural Affairs Reporting
Sponsored by Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland
Leanne Edmistone, News Queensland, Common Ground

All Media - Rural Journalism
Sponsored by Rural Press Club
Kathy McLeish, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Buying the Farm

All Media - Social Issues Reporting
Sponsored by QCOSS
Michael McKenna and Rory Callinan, The Weekend Australian/The Australian, The Secrets of Girls' Suicide
Highly Commended: Amanda Watt, QWeekend, The Twilight Zone

All Media - Sports Journalism
Sponsored by Purple Palate
Mike Colman, The Courier-Mail, Land of the Long Black Cloud

Artwork - Cartoon, Illustration or Graphic
Sponsored by Media Super
Sean Callinan, News Queensland, Being Clive Palmer

Online - Online Journalism
Sponsored by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance
Scott Gamble, Miranda Grant, Michael Bromage, Solua Middleton, Brad Marsellos and Leandro Palacio, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Open, Aftermath: Stories of Disaster, Resilience and Recovery

Photography - News Photograph
Sponsored by Nikon
David Kelly, QWeekend Magazine, After The Fire

Photography – Photographic Essay
Sponsored by Nikon
Evan Morgan, Townsville Bulletin, Afghanistan: Mateship and Sacrifice

Photography – Sports Photography
Sponsored by Purple Palate
Brian Cassey, The Australian Weekend Magazine, The Seventh Second

Print/Online - Feature Article
Sponsored by the Local Government Association of Queensland
Leisa Scott, News Queensland, Duty of Care - National Disability Insurance Scheme

Print/Online - News Report
Sponsored by Channel Nine (Brisbane)
Hedley Thomas, The Australian, Dam Exposed

Print/Online - Three Headings
Sponsored by Seven Network (Brisbane)
Baz McAlister, News Queensland, Body of Work

Radio – Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary or Special
Sponsored by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance
Charlotte Glennie, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Long War

Radio - News Report
Sponsored by John Deere
Amelia Birnie, Radio 4BC, Flood Inquiry

Regional & Community - Broadcast Report
Sponsored by Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance
David Lewis, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Stories from the Outback

Regional & Community - Feature Article or Opinion
Sponsored by Media Super
Rae Wilson, APN, Drug Empire Falls

Regional & Community - News Photograph
Sponsored by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Claudia Baxter, The Queensland Times, APN, You're surrounded

Regional & Community - News Report Print/Online
Sponsored by Ipswich City Council
Stephanie Bedo, Gold Coast Bulletin, Budget Blowout

Television - Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary
Sponsored by Queensland Police Union
Caitlin Shea and Roger Carter, Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Australian Story, Love and Other Drugs
Highly Commended: John Taylor, ABC: 730 Report, Royal Life

Television - News Report
Sponsored by QUT Creative Industries
Lane Calcutt, Nine News, Protest

The John Bean  Memorial Award for Television Camerawork
Sponsored by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Deon Davies, Network Ten Brisbane, Africa Crisis