Aneeka Simonis of the Herald Sun has won the News Reporting in Writing Quill with “Extreme violence: justice system reform for family violence survivors”.

Judges’ Citation

Aneeka Simonis' domestic violence campaign sparked a government review after she uncovered staggering flaws in Victoria’s Victims' Register, which contributed to the death of a mother at the hands of her violent ex-partner just hours after his release from custody. The judges were impressed with Simonis’ commitment and tenacity to uncover this story, and the sensitive way in which she reported the harrowing details. The campaign's impact was significant, from sparking important conversations to pressuring the state to improve justice outcomes for victims. This type of front-page journalism couldn’t be more important as women across Australia are regularly killed by current or former partners.

Highly Commended

Clay Lucas and Sophie Aubrey, The Age, “Flood fury: The Maribyrnong River disaster”

Shortlisted

Olivia Jenkins and James Campbell, Herald Sun, “State care murder”

Ashley Argoon, Herald Sun, “Free pass for crims”