Winner: Lily Kristanto, ABC Indonesia, “‘How are we going to escape?’: Behind the glitz and glamour of Australia’s Work and Holiday Visa.”

Judges’ citation:

Lily Kristanto’s stark story provides insights into the exploitation within Australia’s working holiday visa program, sparking discussions on foreign labor abuse. It excels in simplifying a complex issue for a broad audience. It was framed in a compelling way to reveal how the scheme is abused by unscrupulous operators. Telling such hidden stories requires building trust in diverse communities, and this is a fine example of how to achieve that goal for effective storytelling.

Highly Commended:

Abbir Dib, The Age, “Every morning I check WhatsApp to make sure my Teta in Lebanon is still alive’’

Benjamin Preiss, The Age, “More than one community, this was an attack on Melbourne’s multicultural fabric”

Shortlisted:

Richard Willingham, ABC News, “Victoria’s ambulance service accused of discrimination due to religious beard ban”