Winners: The Media Diversity Australia Award administered by the Walkley Foundation

Supported by Media Diversity Australia, CoHealth and The National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council 

Entries for the 2021 Media Diversity Australia Award will open on Monday, March 8.

Read all the winners of the 2020 Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism here.


From biker gangs to prison, Mahmood Fazal is an Afghan-Australian writer on a mission to amplify the voices we don’t hear. After abandoning his role as the sergeant-at-arms of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, Mahmood has devoted his life to bare-knuckle stories that challenge our views on crime, violence, imprisonment and radicalisation. He was awarded Journalist of the Year at the 2018 Publish Awards and shortlisted for Best Documentary at the Australian Podcast Awards. Mahmood is currently writing a memoir, due to be published by Harper Collins in 2021. His writing appears in VICE, The Monthly, i-D and The Saturday Paper.


Rebecca Metcalf is a filmmaker and journalist, currently a shooter-producer at The Feed on SBS. She has also produced for VICE and Audible and has worked as a print news reporter/editor. No Gangsters in Paradise is her first audio documentary. Rebecca aims to make work that allows for nuance and experiments with form. 

Judges’ comment: No Gangsters in Paradise provides an honest and raw look into an often marginalised Australian community. It’s a deep dive into some very dramatic events and circumstances from many years ago, the context around which remains extremely relevant today.

The Media Diversity Australia Award honours journalists who are making an outstanding contribution through their reporting or coverage of diverse people or issues in Australia. This includes culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD) and people with disability (PWD).

It celebrates reporting that demonstrates notable courage in raising awareness of CALD and/or PWD experiences and perspectives, as well as innovation in the telling of these stories. It recognises the significance of media coverage in providing nuanced reporting which serves to alter perceptions and attitudes, challenge stereotypes and fight misinformation.

Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate submissions according to the following criteria:

  • Newsworthiness
  • Research, writing and production.
  • Incisiveness
  • Balance and range of perspectives
  • Courage in trying new innovation and/or in tackling subjects that are difficult
  • Covers issues that are underrepresented in the media
  • Impact and public benefit
  • Adherence to ethical standards
  • Time constraints and resources available

Judges will also consider the pressure and demand of reporting deadlines, and the location of the journalist. They also take into consideration isolation or exposure to outside forces, as well as the real or potential dangers in presenting a story.

Conditions of entry

Submissions are open to all journalists working in mainstream, community or alternative media, as individuals or in collaboration with others on projects.

Entries are open to work produced in languages other than English but a full transcript must be provided.

Entries may be single pieces or may consist of up to three pieces of work to represent a body of work. All forms of media are accepted.

Entries must have been published, broadcast or televised in Australia from April 27, 2020 to April 26, 2021.

Eligibility for the Media Diversity Australia award is based on independent acts of journalism, free from any commercial or corporate interests.

All entrants must certify that the entry is their original work. Apart from standard sub-editorial/production treatment, submissions must adhere to the MEAA Code of Ethics in their preparation; undertake to abide by this Code of Ethics, and have complied with all copyright requirements.

Entry fee

Entry is free for members of MEAA. The cost of entering the award for non-members is $50 including GST.  Inquiries about MEAA membership please contact members@meaa.org for further details or call 1300 656 513.

Full Terms & Conditions
Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any further questions, please contact either:

Lauren Dixon
lauren.dixon@walkleys.com or 0413 212 890

Barbara Blackman 
barbara.blackman@walkleys.com or 0425 297 082