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​Fairfax Media’s Michael Bachelard and Kate Geraghty have won the Gold Walkley Award​ for their extraordinary work, “Surviving IS: Stories of Mosul”.

The ancient city of Mosul’s devastation by Islamic State may feel unthinkably tragic and distant, but Michael Bachelard and Kate Geraghty told visceral, personal stories that helped readers gain insight through a common humanity. Visiting hospitals, mass graves, military bases and homes, Bachelard’s stories introduce us to people who are resilient, yet exhausted by the ravages of war. Geraghty’s visuals help immerse readers into the atmosphere of a city and a situation far from our understanding.

Michael Bachelard is the editor of The Age investigations unit and the foreign editor of Fairfax Media.

Bachelard began his journalism career at The Canberra Times in 1990 before moving to Melbourne with roles at The Melbourne Times and The Australian. In 2006 he joined The Age investigative unit, then The Sunday Age, and served as  Fairfax’s Indonesia correspondent from 2012 to 2015. Bachelard was executive producer of the Phoebe’s Fall podcast, and authored The Great Land Grab, and Behind the Exclusive Brethren. After wins in 2010 (Business) and 2015 (Print/Text News Report with Armando Cordoba), Bachelard is now a four-time Walkley Award-winner, including this year’s Gold.

Kate Geraghty started her photographic career in 1997 at The Border Mail. She joined Fairfax in 2002 and since then has covered the Bali bombings; the 2003 invasion of Iraq; stories in Afghanistan; war in Lebanon; the 2004 tsunami; Sexual violence in DRC; war in East Ukraine and the downing of MH17; the refugee crisis in Europe; the independence of South Sudan and following civil war; the drug wars in the Philippines; and the liberation of Mosul. Geraghty is no stranger to the Walkley stage, having been named Press Photographer of the Year in 2007 and 2013, and winning the photographic essay category in 2006 and 2007.

Kate Geraghty was also named this year’s Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year for a body of work that included coverage of the frontlines of Mosul, the war on drugs in the Philippines, the famine crisis in South Sudan, and Australian Vietnam War veterans who have retired to their old battlegrounds.

Former political editor for The Age, Michael Gordon, won the the Walkley Award for Outstanding Contribution for his groundbreaking reporting, fair leadership and and generosity over 44 years in the industry. You can read the full tribute to Gordon here.  

The Walkley Documentary Award went to Martin Butler, Liz Jackson, Bentley Dean and Tania Nehme, for “A Sense of Self”, and this year’s Walkley Book Award went to Louise Milligan for Cardinal: The rise and fall of George Pell.

Commenting on the awards judging process, Angelos Frangopoulos, chair of the Walkley Advisory Board, said, “The last year was a big one for news and the very high quality – and fierce competition – of the entries demonstrated this. The judging process was very challenging and I’d like to thank all the judges who devoted their time and gave careful consideration to each entry.”

The 62nd Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism were presented in 30 categories. Just under 600  journalists and media identities gathered in the Plaza Ballroom of Brisbane’s Convention and Exhibition Centre for the gala event hosted by Lisa Wilkinson. The Walkley Awards were held in Brisbane with the support of Tourism and Events Queensland.

The full list of winners is published below and in the December issue of The Walkley Magazine.

2017 Walkley Awards Category Winners:

PRINT/TEXT NEWS REPORT

Award Partner: Media Super

Nick Hansen, The Daily Telegraph, “EXCLUSIVE – Steal as you earn: tax chief’s son accused of helping mastermind $100m tax fraud”; Sons and Fraudsters”; Family tax benefits: ATO boss tried to help scamming son”

PUBLIC SERVICE JOURNALISM

Joanne McCarthy, Newcastle Herald and The Age, Fairfax Media, “Living a Nightmare” I’m living a nightmare; We tried to warn them; Mesh move

INNOVATION

Award Partner: News Corp Australia

Rachael Brown, Jeremy Story Carter and Jesse Cox, ABC, “Trace

HEADLINE, CAPTION OR HOOK

Award Partner: Qantas

Michael Nolan, The Saturday Paper, “The father, the son and the Hillary ghost”, “Dualling ban grows” “Carpe PM: Turnbull biographer Paddy Manning turns on the PM”

FEATURE WRITING LONG (OVER 4,000 WORDS)

Award Partner: UQ

Helen Garner, The Monthly, “Why She Broke: The Woman, her Children and the Lake

FEATURE WRITING SHORT (UNDER 4,000 WORDS)

Award Partner: Fairfax

Michael Bachelard, Kate Geraghty and The Age Multimedia Team, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media, “Surviving IS: Stories of Mosul

COVERAGE OF INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS

Jane Bardon, 730, ABC TV,  AM & PM, ABC Radio and ABC Online, “Demanding Justice: Marshall Wallace, BushMob and Stolen Generation 2”

Indigenous man with only 6 months to live given 15-month prison sentence in NT; Terminally ill man imprisoned for driving offences fights to be released from custody; Dylan Voller’s lawyers want him transferred to bush rehab program; Families convince NT Govt to return Arnhem Land children taken into care

COVERAGE OF COMMUNITY OR REGIONAL AFFAIRS

Award Partner: BHP

Carrie Fellner, Newcastle Herald, “The sorrow on Cabbage Tree Road”

The sorrow on Cabbage Tree Road; Profiles: the 50 cancer cases of Cabbage Tree Road; Rare cancer strikes twice in the red zone

CARTOON

Award Partner: Banki Haddock Fiora

Cathy Wilcox, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, “Low-cost housing, London”

SPORTS JOURNALISM

Jamie Pandaram, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, “Western Force saga”

Western Force set to be axed; Frank exchange between Western Force officials and ARU duo that sparked legal row; Force fate hangs on 15 games

SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY

Award Partner: Nikon

Scott Barbour, Getty Images,“Split Second”

RADIO NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS JOURNALISM

Award Partner: ABC

Matt Brown, AM, ABC Radio, “The War on Islamic State”

Mosul Front; Mosul Battle; Turkey Terror List

RADIO/AUDIO FEATURE

Award Partner: QUT

Michael Green and the Behind the Wire/Wheeler Centre team, “The Messenger

PRODUCTION

The Fairfax Multimedia Team, theage.com.au, smh.com.au, watoday.com.au and canberratimes.com.au, “Surviving IS: Stories from Mosul

SCOOP OF THE YEAR

Award Partner: Nine

Annika Smethurst, Herald Sun, “Ley of the Land”

Flat a Ley Buy on Trip; New year’s farce; Ley of the Land

COVERAGE OF A MAJOR NEWS EVENT OR ISSUE

Award Partner: Lion

Peter Ryan, AM, PM & The World Today, ABC Radio, ABC News & BBC World Service, “Commonwealth Bank Scandal – accused of 53,000 breaches of anti-money laundering and terror financing laws”

Breaking News – CBA risks massive fines over anti-money laundering & terrorism financing law breaches; CBA chief executive Ian Narev in first broadcast interview re scandal – tells Peter Ryan “mistakes were made” but not resigning; CBA cuts Ian Narev’s bonus to “zero” as a result of Austrac money laundering allegations; ASIC to investigate CBA disclosure to stock exchange. When did it know about money-laundering risks?; Ian Narev to retire by 30 June 2016 as CBA chief executive; APRA announces independent inquiry into CBA; ASIC to investigate CBA disclosure to stock exchange. When did it know about money-laundering risks?; Ian Narev to retire by 30 June 2016 as CBA chief executive; APRA announces independent inquiry into CBA

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO JOURNALISM

Award Partner: SKY NEWS

Michael Gordon

NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY

Award Partner: Nikon

Justin Brierty, The Cairns Post,“Don’t Shoot”

BUSINESS JOURNALISM

Award Partner: ING

Adele Ferguson and Mario Christodoulou, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, “The Domino’s Pizza Expose”

Boxed In What life is really like inside pizza giant Domino’s; Domino’s Scandal – Franchisees ‘selling visas’; A small serve Domino’s deal not so fair

FEATURE/PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY

Award Partner: Nikon

Sam Ruttyn, The Sunday Telegraph, “Lion Heart Leo”

TELEVISION/VIDEO: CAMERAWORK

Award Partner: Australian Super

Daniel Fallshaw, Guardian Australia, “The Fight

TELEVISION/VIDEO: NEWS REPORTING

Award Partner: Seven

Sally Sara, ABC News, “Six Days in Somaliland

TELEVISION/VIDEO CURRENT AFFAIRS SHORT (LESS THAN 20 MINUTES)

Award Partner: SBS

Dimity Clancey, A Current Affair, Nine Network, “Malcolm Naden Confession

TELEVISION/VIDEO CURRENT AFFAIRS LONG (MORE THAN 20 MINUTES)

Tara Brown, Grace Tobin and Sean Power, 60 Minutes, Nine Network, “Bitter deal

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

Award Partner: Bayer

Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert and Klaus Toft, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media & Four Corners, ABC TV “Bleed Them Dry Until They Die

COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS, OPINION AND CRITIQUE

Award Partner: Three Plus

John Silvester, The Age and The Saturday Age, “Naked City”

Tough-guy laws: brave or stupid?; PSOs: Victoria’s dumbest policy?; Knight condemned by his own hand

WALKLEY DOCUMENTARY AWARD

Martin Butler, Liz Jackson, Bentley Dean and Tania Nehme, ABC TV, “A Sense of Self

WALKLEY BOOK AWARD

Award Partner: Media Super

Louise Milligan, Cardinal: The rise and fall of George Pell, Melbourne University Press

NIKON-WALKLEY PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Award Partner: Nikon

Kate Geraghty, Fairfax Media

GOLD WALKLEY

Award Partner: MEAA

Michael Bachelard and Kate Geraghty, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media, “Stories of Mosul

THE 2017 WALKLEY AWARDS BOARD JUDGES WERE:

Chair: Angelos Frangopoulos, CEO, Australian News Channel

Deputy chair: Lenore Taylor, editor, Guardian Australia

Michael Amendolia, photographer

Michael Beach, editor, The Sunday Times

Simon Crerar, editor-in-chief, BuzzFeed Australia

Claire Harvey, deputy editor, The Sunday Telegraph

Fran Kelly, presenter, ABC Radio National Breakfast

John Stanley, journalist, 2UE

Sandra Sully, journalist and senior editor, TEN Eyewitness News

Lisa Wilkinson, journalist and presenter

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