Barbara Jefferis Award

The Barbara Jefferis Award is an Australian literary award prize. The award was created in 2007 after being endowed by John Hinde upon his death to commemorate his late wife, author Barbara Jefferis. It is funded by his $1 million bequest. Originally an annual award, it has been awarded biennially since 2012.

Jefferis was an Australian writer, and a founding member and first female president of the Australian Society of Authors. She died in 2004.Wyndham (2007) Australian author, Thomas Keneally, described Jefferis as "a rare being amongst authors, being both a fine writer but also organisationally gifted".James Bennett (Firm)

The award, which comprises $50,000 for the winner with $5,000 distributed amongst the shortlist, is one of Australia's richest literary prizes. It is awarded to "the best novel written by an Australian author that depicts women and girls in a positive way or otherwise empowers the status of women and girls in society". The novel can be in any genre and does not have to be set in Australia. The award does not specify the author's gender. It is administered by the Australian Society of Authors and is expected to rival the Miles Franklin Award ($42,000) and the biennial Tasmania Pacific Fiction Prize ($40,000).

The prize was first awarded in 2008 to Rhyll McMaster for Feather Man (Brandl & Schlesinger).

Controversy

The announcement of the award caused a minor controversy in Australian literary circles due to its target. Susan Wyndham, journalist and literary editor, best summarises the issue in the questions opening her article in The Sydney Morning Herald Blogs: "Does Australia need a new fiction award that encourages 'positive' portrayals of women and girls? Or is it an outdated gesture in a post-feminist culture rich with female authors, characters and readers?"

Wyndham reports Rosalind Hinde, daughter of John Hinde and Barbara Jefferis, as saying that her father had "the very clear and strong intention to honour my mother's writing, her feminism and her devotion to other writers". Several writers have supported the award, including Tom Keneally, Helen Garner, Frank Moorhouse, Gerald Murnane, Anne Deveson, Kerryn Goldsworthy and Brian Castro. However, writer and critic, Andrew Reimer dislikes the idea of focusing on "social agenda" over "novelist's skill and imagination", and novelist Emily McGuire agreed, stating that she doesn't "like the idea of judging fiction based on its message". Author and critic, Debra Adelaide, expressed her concern that the award might encourage "safe and constrained" writing and wondered whether "we are getting to the point where we have more awards than publishing opportunities".

Winners Each year's winners and shortlists, along with the past winners, are listed on the relevant Australian Society of Authors page.

2008 – Feather Man, Rhyll McMaster 2009 – The Spare Room, Helen Garner 2010 – The China Garden, Kristina Olsson 2011 – Come Inside, G. L. Osborne 2012 – All That I Am, Anna Funder 2013 – not awarded. The 2014 award was for 2013/2014 2014 – Sea Hearts, Margo Lanagan (joint winner) 2014 – The Night Guest, Fiona McFarlane (joint winner) 2016 – Hope Farm, Peggy Frew 2018 – The Trapeze Act, Libby Angel 2020 – Wolfe Island, Lucy Treloar 2022 – Revenge, S. L. Lim 2024 – Songs for the Dead and the Living, Sara M. Saleh (joint winner) 2024 – Days of Innocence and Wonder, Lucy Treloar (joint winner)

Shortlisted works Winners are listed in bold type.

Year Title Author Publisher References 2008Feather Man Rhyll McMaster Brandl & Schlesinger Austlit – "Barbara Jefferis Award" The Anatomy of Wings Karen Foxlee University of Queensland Press Burning In Mireille Juchau Giramondo The Gospel of Gods and Crocodiles Elizabeth Stead University of Queensland Press The Lost Dog Michelle de Kretser Allen & Unwin Seamstress Geraldine Wooller University of Western Australia Press 2009The Spare Room Helen Garner Text Addition Toni Jordan Text The Last SkyAlice NelsonFremantle Press The Lifeboat Zacharey Jane University of Queensland Press People of the Book Geraldine Brooks Fourth Estate (HarperCollins) Sustenance Simone Lazaroo University of Western Australia Press 2010The China Garden Kristina Olsson University of Queensland Press Headlong Susan Varga UWA Publishing The Lost Life Steven Carroll HarperCollins Swimming Enza Gandolfo Vanark Press The World Beneath Cate Kennedy Scribe 2011Come Inside G. L. Osborne Clouds of Magellan Good Daughter Honey Brown Penguin/Viking Indelible Ink Fiona Kelly McGregor Scribe Like Being a Wife Catherine Harris Vintage Sustenance Simone Lazaroo University of Western Australia Press 2012 All That I Am Anna Funder Penguin Cold Light Frank Moorhouse Vintage Five BellsGail JonesVintage Foal's Bread Gillian Mears Allen & Unwin Too Close to Home Georgia Blain Vintage When We Have Wings Claire Corbett Allen & Unwin 2014 Sea Hearts Margo Lanagan Allen & Unwin The Night Guest Fiona McFarlane Penguin The First Week Margaret Merrilees Wakefield Press The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt Tracy Farr Fremantle Press The Mountain Drusilla Modjeska VintagePilgrimageJacinta HalloranScribe Sufficient Grace Amy Espeseth Scribe Publications 2016Hope Farm Peggy Frew Scribe Publications A Guide to Berlin Gail Jones Vintage Laurinda Alice Pung Black Inc. The Natural Way of Things Charlotte Wood Allen & Unwin The Protected Claire Zorn University of Queensland Press This Picture of You Sarah Hopkins Allen & Unwin 2018The Trapeze Act Libby Angel Text From the WreckJane RawsonTransit LoungeGoodwoodHolly ThrosbyAllen & Unwin Storyland Catherine McKinnon HarperCollins Troppo Madelaine Dickie Fremantle Press 2020Wolfe Island Lucy Treloar Picador There Was Still Love Favel Parrett Hachette Too Much Lip Melissa Lucashenko University of Queensland Press The White GirlTony BirchUniversity of Queensland Press The Yield Tara June Winch Hamish Hamilton 2022Revenge: Murder in Three Parts S. L. Lim Transit Lounge The Bass RockEvie WyldPenguin Benevolence Julie Janson Magabala Bodies of Light Jennifer Down Text Ordinary Matter Laura Elvery University of Queensland Press Smart Ovens for Lonely People Elizabeth Tan Brio 2024Songs For the Dead and LivingSara M. SalehAffirmDays of Innocence and WonderLucy TreloarPan Macmillan AustraliaSalonika BurningGail JonesTextEdenglassieMelissa LucashenkoUniversity of Queensland PressSunbirdsMiranda RiwoeUniversity of Queensland PressStone Yard DevotionalCharlotte WoodAllen & Unwin2026TranslationsJumaana AbduVintageTheory & PracticeMichelle de KretserText PublishingRaptureEmily MaguireAllen & UnwinThe Sun Was Electric LightRachel MortonUniversity of Queensland PressA Piece of Red ClothLeonie Norrington, Djawundil Maymuru, Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs & Djawa BurarrwangaAllen & UnwinOut of the WoodsGretchen ShirmTransit Lounge

Barbara Jefferis Award

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