Western Australian Premier's Book Awards
The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is an award for books, scripts, digital narrative and a People's Choice. Awards are provided by the Government of Western Australia, and the awards process is managed by the State Library of Western Australia. Awards are given in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, Western Australian History, children's book, writing for Young Adults, scripts and digital narrative. An overall winner is awarded the Premier's Prize.
The title of the award refers to the year of publication, rather than the year in which the awards were announced. So, the 2011 awards were announced in 2012, for works published in 2011.
The Award includes prize amounts as follows: $15,000 for Fiction, Non-fiction and Children's Books. $10,000 for Young Adults, WA History, Poetry and Scripts. $5,000 for People's Choice and Digital Narrative. The Premier's Prize carries prize money of $25,000.
In 2015, the state government downgraded the awards from an annual event to biannual, to the disappointment of the WA arts sector.
In 2018 only four categories were open to entries — the Western Australian Writer's Fellowship, the Premier's Prize for Writing for Children, the Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer and the Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors.
2018 winners
The 2018 winners were announced on 26 July 2019.- Western Australian Writer's Fellowship: A.J. Betts
- Premier's Prize for Writing for Children: The Hole Story by Kelly Canby
- Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer: The Sky Runs Right Through Us by Reneé Pettitt-Schipp
- Daisy Utemorrah Award for Indigenous Authors: Mother Speaks by Kirli Saunders
2016 winners
- Fiction: The Golden Age by Joan London
- Non-fiction: This House of Grief by Helen Garner
- Children's Books: The Duck and the Darklings by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Stephen Michael King
- Poetry: The Guardians by Lucy Dougan
- Western Australian History: Running Out? Water in WA by Ruth A. Morgan
- Young Adult: The Protected by Claire Zorn
- Western Australian Emerging Writers Award: Lost and Found by Brooke Davis
- Scripts: Dust by Suzie Miller
- Digital Narrative: Timelord Dreaming by David P. Reiter
- People's Choice Award: Fever of Animals by Miles Allinson
2014 winners
- Fiction: Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North
- People's Choice: Tim Winton, Eyrie
- Poetry: Paul Hetherington, Six Different Windows
- Non-fiction: Kristina Olsson, Boy, Lost: A Family Memoir
- Western Australian History: Margaret Simons, Kerry Stokes: Self-Made Man
- Children's book: Dianne Wolfer & Brian Simmonds, Light Horse Boy and Jan Ormerod & Andrew Joyner, The Swap
- Writing for Young Adults: Alyssa Brugman, Alex as Well
- Script: Van Badham, The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars
- Digital Narrative: Christy Dena, AUTHENTIC IN ALL CAPS
- Emerging Writer's Award: Yvette Walker, Letters to the End of Love
2012 winners
- Fiction: Michelle de Kretser, Questions of Travel
- People's Choice: Deborah Forster, The Meaning of Grace
- Poetry: Robert Gray, Cumulus
- Non-fiction: Roger Averill, Exile: The Lives and Hopes of Werner Pelz
- Western Australian History: Aboriginal Studies Press, Kurlumarniny: We come from the Desert
- Children's book: Stephen Herrick, Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend & Peter Macinnis, Australian Backyard Naturalist
- Writing for Young Adults: Margo Lanagan, Sea Hearts
- Script: Ingle Knight, The Fremantle Candidate
- Digital Narrative: David Reiter, My Planets Reunion Memoir
2011 winners
- Fiction: Anna Funder, All That I Am
- People's Choice: Anna Funder, All That I Am
- Poetry: Tracy Ryan, The Argument
- Non-fiction: Alice Pung, Her Father's Daughter
- Western Australian History: Fiona Skyring, Justice: A History of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia
- Children's book: Michelle Gillespie & Sonia Martinez, Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck
- Writing for Young Adults: Penni Russon, Only Ever Always
- Script: Tim Winton & Ellen Fontana, Cloudstreet: The Screenplay
- Digital Narrative: Max Barry, Machine Man
2010 winners
- Fiction: Kim Scott, That Deadman Dance
- People's Choice: Lisa Lang, Utopian Man
- Poetry: Mark Tredinnick, Fire Diary
- Non-fiction: Jim Davidson, The Historian: W K Hancock
- Western Australian History: Susanna Iuliano, Vite Italiane, Italian Lives in Western Australia
- Children's book: Sally Murphy & Rhian Nest James, Toppling
- Writing for Young Adults: Scot Gardner, Happy as Larry and James Roy, Anonymity Jones
- Script: Tommy Murphy, Gwen in Purgatory
- Digital Narrative: Robin Craig Clark, The Garden
2009 winners
- Fiction:
- *Craig Silvey, Jasper Jones
- *J. M. Coetzee, Summertime
- Poetry: Kate Middleton, Fire Season
- Non-fiction: Iain McCalman, Darwin's Armada
- Western Australian History: Penelope Hetherington, Paupers, Poor Relief & Poor Houses
- Children's book: Margaret Wild & Freya Blackwood, Harry & Hopper
- Writing for Young Adults: Justine Larbalestier, Liar
- Script: Shirley Barrett, South Solitary
2008 winners
2007">2007 in Australian literature">2007 winners
The winners were announced in 2008. The overall winner was Liz Lofthouse and Robert Ingpen's Ziba Came on a Boat.- Fiction: Stephen Scourfield, Other Country
- Poetry: Hal Colebatch, The Light River
- History Section: Lucy Taksa, Bobbie Oliver and Patrick Bertola, The History of the Westrail Midland Railway Workshops
- Non-fiction: Antonio Buti, Sir Ronald Wilson: A Matter of Conscience
- Western Australian History: Ruth Marchant James, Cottesloe: A Town of Distinction
- Children's book: Liz Lofthouse and Robert Ingpen, Ziba Came on a Boat
- Writing for Young Adults: Ken Spillman, Love is a UFO
- Script: Elissa Down and Jimmy the Exploder, The Black Balloon
2006">2006 in Australian literature">2006 winners
- Fiction: Simone Lazaroo, The Travel Writer
- Poetry: Dennis Haskell, All the Time in the World
- Non-fiction:
- *Quentin Beresford, Rob Riley: an Aboriginal Leader's Quest for Justice
- *Peter Edwards, Arthur Tange: Last of the Mandarins
- Western Australian History: Bobbie Oliver and Patrick Bertola, The Workshops: A History of the Midland Government Railway Workshops
- Children's book: Shaun Tan, The Arrival
- Writing for Young Adults: Kate McCaffrey Destroying Avalon
- Script: Hellie Turner, Sardines
2005">2005 in Australian literature">2005 winners
- Fiction: Carrie Tiffany, Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living
- Poetry: Rod Moran, The Paradoxes of Water: Selected and New Poems, 1970-2005
- Non-fiction:
- *Richard Bosworth, Mussolini's Italy: Life Under the Dictatorship 1915-1945
- *Philippa Nikulinsky and Stephen D Hopper, Soul of the Desert
- Western Australian History: Sue Davenport, Peter Johnson and Yuwali, Cleared Out: First Contact in the Western Desert
- Children's book: Wendy Binks, Where's Stripey?
- Writing for Young Adults: Kirsty Murray, A Prayer for Blue Delaney
- Script: Reg Cribb, Last Train to Freo
2004">2004 in Australian literature">2004 winners
- Fiction: Gail Jones, Sixty Lights
- Poetry: Miriam Wei Wei Lo, Against Certain Capture
- Non-fiction:
- *Greg Craven, Conversations with the Constitution
- *Kate Lance, Redbill: From Pearls to Peace - The Life and Times of a Remarkable Lugger
- Western Australian History: Anthony Barker, Behind the Play
- Children's book: Joanne Crawford and Grace Fielding, A Home for Bilby
- Writing for Young Adults: Anthony Eaton, Fireshadow
- Script: Jolly Read, Yandy
2003">2003 in literature">2003 winners
- Fiction: Brett D'Arcy The Mindless Ferocity of Sharks
- Poetry: John Kinsella Peripheral Light
- Non-fiction:
- *John Dowson Old Fremantle
- *Stephen Kinnane Shadow Lines
- Children's book: Mark Greenwood The Legend of Lasseter's Reef
- Writing for Young Adults: Colin Bowles Nights in the Sun
- Script: Reg Cribb Last Cab to Darwin
2002">2002 in literature">2002 winners
- Fiction: Gail Jones Black Mirror
- Poetry: Barbara Temperton Going Feral
- Non-fiction:
- *Richard Bosworth Mussolini
- *Walmajarri storytellers, ed. Joyce Hudson, Pat Lowe & Eirlys Richards Out of the Desert: Stories from the Walmajarri Exodus
- Children's book: Mark Greenwood & Frané Lessac The Legend of Moondyne Joe
- Writing for Young Adults: Pat Lowe Feeling the Heat
- Script: Hellie Turner Bench
2001">2001 in literature">2001 winners
- Fiction: Tim Winton Dirt Music
- Poetry: Dorothy Hewett Halfway up the Mountain
- Non-fiction:
- *John Bailey The White Divers of Broome
- *Jan Gothard Blue China: Single Female Migration to Colonial Australia
- Children's book: Deborah Lisson The Yankee Whaler
- Writing for Young Adults: Julia Lawrinson Obsession
- Script: Sally Riley & Archie Weller Confessions of a Headhunter
2000">2000 in literature">2000 winners
- Fiction: Simone Lazaroo The Australian Fiancé
- Poetry: Mark Reid Parochial
- Non-fiction:
- *Michèle Drouart Into the Wadi
- *Robert Drewe The Shark Net: Memories and Murder
- Children's book: Kirsty Murray Zarconi's Magic Flying Fish
- Writing for Young Adults: Anthony Eaton The Darkness
1999">1999 in literature">1999 winners
- Fiction: Kim Scott Benang: From the Heart
- Poetry: Tracy Ryan The Willing Eye
- Historical & Critical Studies: Estelle Blackburn Broken Lives
- Children's book: Reg Bolton Showtime: Over 75 Ways to Put on a Show
- Writing for Young Adults: Glyn Parry Scooterboy
- Special Award: Victor France, Larry Mitchell & Alison Wright Abrolhos Islands Conversations
1998">1998 in literature">1998 winners
- Overall: Carolyn Polizzotto Pomegranate Season
- Fiction: Pat Jacobs Going Inland
- Poetry:
- Historical & Critical Studies: Quentin Beresford & Paul Omaji Our State of Mind: Racial Planning and the Stolen Generations
- Children's book: Pat Lowe & Jimmy Pike Desert Dog
- Writing for Young Adults: Deborah Lisson Red Hugh
- Script Award: Ingle Knight Milk and Honey
1997">1997 in literature">1997 winners
- Overall:
- Fiction:
- Poetry: Alec Choate The Wheels of Hama: Collected War Poems
- Historical & Critical Studies: Phillip Playford Carpet of Silver: the Wreck of the Zuytdorp
- Children & Young Adult's Books: Deborah Lisson A Place of Safety
- Special Award: Songs of Strength: Sixteen Women Talk About Cancer
- Script Award: Dickon Oxenburgh and Andrew Ross Merry-Go-Round-In -the Sea
1996">1996 in literature">1996 winners
- Overall: Banjo Woorunmurra & Howard Pedersen Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance
- Fiction:
- Poetry: Dorothy Hewett Collected Poems
- Historical & Critical Studies: Banjo Woorunmurra and Howard Pedersen Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance
- Children & Young Adult's Books: Helen Bell Idjhil
- Special Award: Mike Leonard The Kimberley - A journey through Northwest Australia
- Script Award: Sarah Rossetti Culture Clash
1995 winners
- Premier's Prize: Radical Take-offs by Glyn Parry
- Fiction: The World Waiting to be Made by Simone Lazaroo
- Poetry: Sandstone by Andrew Taylor
- Historical & Critical Studies: Searching for the Snowy by George Seddon
- Children's & Young Adult's Books: Radical Take-offs by Glyn Parry
- Special Award: Plants of the Perth Coast and Islands by Elizabeth Rippey and Barbara Rowland
- Script: Whispering Demons by Heather Nimmo
1994 winners
- Premier's Prize: Peninsula - Dorothy Hewett
- Fiction: Letter to Constantine - Joan London
- Poetry: Peninsula - Dorothy Hewett
- Historical & Critical Studies: Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia - David Horton
- Children's Books: Rosa's Famous Elbow - Mike Lefroy & Peter Kendall
- Special Award: Summer Shorts - Peter Holland
- Script: Meekatharra - Lois Achimovich