Winner: Ashlee Aldridge, ABC News, “Porepunkah Police Shooting”

Judges’ Citation:

Ashlee Aldridge acted swiftly on a news tip from a local to be the first reporter in Porepunkah for Victoria’s biggest breaking news story of 2025.

Working solo, she set up her own camera and started nine hours of continuous live coverage from the scene.

She filed video footage, still images, blog posts, and a 7pm news package, while juggling live radio and television crosses.

Her coverage spoke to the frantic and unpredictable nature of the incident, to the fear gripping locals, and to the profound sadness and shock experienced once it became clear two police officers had been killed.

Aldridge demonstrated remarkable skill during a particularly challenging assignment. She went the extra mile to deliver quality on-the-scene reporting that would typically be produced by multiple reporters, camera crews and production teams.

Highly Commended

7NEWS Melbourne, 7NEWS, “Two Police Officers Shot Dead (Rolling Coverage)”

Shortlisted

Abby Dinham, Steph Baumgartel and Samantha Butler, 10 News, “Mushroom Killer Verdict”

7NEWS, “The Verdict - Mushroom Cook Trial”