The Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year Award is the most coveted prize in Australian journalism. The winner receives a $20,000 prize, a certificate and permanent recognition for excellence.

The Perkin is independently administered by the Melbourne Press Club, which appoints the judges. The award is sponsored by The Age and Virgin Australia.

The award is presented at the annual Quill Awards dinner, held at Crown Palladium in  March.

Who is eligible?

The Perkin is open to any Australian journalist or editor/director whose work appears in 2016. Originally established for print journalists, it is now open to broadcast and online journalists.

Nominees may enter themselves or be nominated by their editors. Colleagues may nominate an editor for outstanding leadership and campaigning. Journalists may nominate people from other news organisations. By accepting the prize, the winner agrees to speak at an event hosted by the Melbourne Press Club.

Judging criteria

The independent judges of the 2016 Perkin Award were Ray Martin, Lenore Taylor and Caroline Wilson. Judges are asked to look for journalism that is memorable and excellent. They are asked to reward work that is consistent with the journalism practised by Graham Perkin.

The Perkin Award may be won with a single report, a series or a body of work. It may be won by an editor or producer. It may be won by a photographer, cartoonist or artist. It may be won by a reporter, feature writer, specialist writer, commentator or blogger.

It can be awarded for a portfolio of work throughout the year. But volume alone will not win the award unless it has the prime qualities of being consistently excellent and memorable. The Perkin Award is for an individual. Nominations for an individual whose work was part of a team effort must be accompanied by a signed statement from the editorial supervisor that the nominee was the prime originator and developer of the work.