Herald journalists shine at 70th Walkley Awards

A series exposing the sinister side of Sydney’s glitzy hospitality scene and a national examination of the hidden misogyny in Australia’s medical system are among the Herald stories that claimed honours at the 70th Walkley Awards on Thursday night, as the masthead and its sister publication The Age won more awards than any other publisher.

Herald investigative reporter Eryk Bagshaw, crime reporter Clare Sibthorpe, and Good Food’s Bianca Hrovat took out the Walkley for the news report category for their reporting on hospitality giants such as Merivale, Swillhouse and Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, which resulted in the resignations of high-profile hospitality figures and regulatory reforms.

The Herald’s investigative reporter Eryk Bagshaw, Good Food’s Bianca Hrovat and crime reporter Clare Sibthorpe Credit: Sydney Morning Herald

Herald health editor Kate Aubusson, reporter Emily Kaine and Age investigative reporter Aisha Dow won the specialist beat reporting category for an investigation which uncovered a series of disturbing cases where women said they had been disbelieved, misdiagnosed or wrongly admitted to hospital.

Melissa Fyfe won the feature writing short category for her Good Weekend story exposing the ongoing menace of forced marriage in Australia, while Badiucao, Matthew Absalom-Wong, Patrick O’Neil and Tom McKendrick were honoured for ‘Watch, followed, threatened. Now an impostor is claiming to be me’.

The Age claimed the best coverage of a major news event or issue for its coverage of the mushroom murders orchestrated by Erin Patterson.

Executive editor of Nine’s metro mastheads, Luke McIlveen, said the awards were “wonderful recognition for the journalists who make The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age the country’s most trusted newspapers”.

The Herald’s health editor Kate Aubusson, reporter Emily Kaine and Age investigative reporter Aisha Dow. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald

“I’m especially pleased for Eryk Bagshaw, Bianca Hrovat and Clare Sibthorpe, whose investigative series on the seedy side of the hospitality industry took out the News Report category,” McIlveen said.

“The Herald and The Age also exposed the appalling treatment of women in our Medical Misogyny series – led by Kate Aubusson, Aisha Dow and Emily Kaine – which won the Specialist and Beat Reporting category.”

The highest honour in Australian journalism, the Gold Walkley, was awarded to the ABC’s Adele Ferguson and Chris Gillett for their multi-month investigation into systemic failures in the Australian childcare system. The pair won three Walkley categories, with the judging board unanimously describing their work as the investigation of the year.

Melissa Fyfe won the feature writing short category.Credit: Eddie Jim

There were more than 1000 entries into the 70th Walkley Awards, which were announced at a ceremony in Sydney.

Chair of the judging board, Sally Neighbour, said the “high calibre” of entries from winners and finalists was a “testament to the fact that Australian journalism is at its best, as good as anywhere in the world”.

“At a time of immense disruption for the news media, it is heartening that the commitment to journalistic independence, excellence and integrity remains as strong as ever.”

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