Finalists have been announced for the 50th Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year.

The award honours the memory of celebrated Age editor Graham Perkin and carries a $10,000 cash prize from the publication.

On the judging panel were former Age editor Gay Alcorn, the Herald Sun's Andrew Rule (Perkin winner, 1996 and 2001), and The Australian's Cameron Stewart (Perkin winner, 2008).

The winner will be announced at the 31st Quill Awards Dinner on Friday 20 March 2026.

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Finalists for the 50th Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year award are presented alphabetically by surname below. Please note that some work submitted with entries – including print materials – may not be included.

 Rachael Brown, ABC News

• Unravel: Huntsman, ABC News
• Mushroom Case Daily, ABC News

 Adele Ferguson, ABC News

• How the childcare industry is placing children at risk, Four Corners
• Hunting Ground, Four Corners
• Shaken toddlers and slapped babies: Documents expose childcare crisis, 7.30
• Fast-track childcare courses are putting children at risk, insiders warn, 7.30
• Childcare horrors are shocking, but they’re no surprise to me, The Age

 Robyn Riley, Herald Sun

•  Mum gives birth to wrong baby, Herald Sun, 11 April 2025
•  Monash mum on error, Herald Sun, 18 April 2025
•  Monash hides behind 'privacy', Herald Sun, 21 August 2025
•  Fertile ground for oversight, Herald Sun, 13 September 2025

 Ben Smee, Guardian Australia

• Broken trust: how police failed Hannah Clarke and other women they were supposed to protect, Guardian Australia
• Police made potentially critical mistakes in Hannah Clarke murders, new evidence reveals, Guardian Australia
• Gail Karran recorded the savage beating that killed her. Shocking new evidence reveals how police failed her, Guardian Australia
• Pregnant and frightened, Kardell Lomas begged for help. Police found her body in the boot of a car, Guardian Australia
• Broken trust: why police are failing to learn from their own mistakes, Guardian Australia

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