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The Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism

The Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism

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The 71st Walkley Awards open for entries

The Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism are presented annually in Australia to recognise and reward the best in the craft. Finalists are selected by eminent journalists and photographers and overall winners judged by the Walkley Judging Board.

See all the Walkley Awards categories.

The awards cover all media and have grown organically over the years, expanding to encompass the changing nature of the media industry and innovation in journalism. More than 1400 entries are received each year across 30 categories. The Walkleys also recognise excellence in longform journalism through the Walkley Book and Documentary awards. The Gold Walkley is the most prestigious award, chosen from all category winners.

The Walkley Awards exist to recognise “creative and courageous acts of journalism that seek out the truth and give new insight to an issue”. They reward excellence, independence, innovation and originality in storytelling and distinctive reporting. This can be through research and investigations, well-crafted and innovative presentations, news-breaking single stories and engaging, entertaining and/or informative reporting.

In 2026 all entries must have been published in Australia between 19 August, 2025 and 17 August, 2026.

  • Eligibility for the Walkley Awards is based on independent acts of journalism, free from any commercial or corporate interests. All entries must be factually based.

The Walkley Awards entry fee is $200 (except for the Walkley Book Award and Walkley Documentary Award which are $300, including GST). MEAA members still get the best deal, with free entry as part of their membership.

Read the Terms & Conditions and FAQs before submitting your entry.

If you have any questions please contact Margie Smithurst, margie.smithurst@walkleys.com

Winners of the 70th Walkley Awards were announced on 27 November, 2025. See all the winners here.

Adele Ferguson and Chris Gillett won the 2025 Gold Walkley, Australian journalism’s highest honour for a series of stories on 7.30, Four Corners and ABC online. The Walkley Judging Board unanimously selected the pair’s multi-month multi-platform investigation into the systemic failures in childcare as the story of the year.

See all the 2025 Walkley Awards finalists here.

To find out when we announce finalists and winners, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Entry Information

2026 entries open on 1 July, 2026. All entries must have been published/broadcast in Australia between 19 August, 2025 and 17 August, 2026.

General criteria in assessing entries include:

  • How the story was initiated and followed (with particular credit given for instigating or finding a story)
  • Newsworthiness, including exclusivity
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Research and investigation
  • Balance, accuracy and ethics
  • Consideration of the resources available
  • Consideration of production pressures, deadlines and time constraints
  • Demonstration of best use of the format/s in which the work was published or broadcast, including clever choices in storytelling through multimedia
  • Excellence in written or verbal communication and/or technical and production skill
  • Public impact or benefit, including audience engagement and serving specific communities

The Walkley Awards for Excellence in Photojournalism recognise visual journalists producing still photography for any platform. Criteria include storytelling, courage, public impact, creativity, innovative use of technology, technical ability and resourcefulness and can include soundslides and photofilm.Only photos taken between 20 August 2024 and 18 August 2025 are eligible for entry. Each entry must contain at least one published picture.

Outstanding Contribution to Journalism: Each year, the Walkley Board of Directors recognise the achievements of a person or group that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the highest standards of journalism – truth, rigour, integrity and fairness – over their career or period of operation. Entries open on 1 July, 2025.

If you have any questions or need help please contact margie.smithurst@walkleys.com.

For finalists and winners announcements and all the latest Walkley News, sign up for our weekly newsletter.