This could be you this year! Last year’s winners of Democracy’s Watchdogs award for investigative journalism have gone onto bigger things, but now it could be your turn.

Entries for Democracy’s Watchdogs’ award for investigative journalism will open soon. The award is for journalism students in Australia and New Zealand.

There’s no need to panic or rush your story. I have yet to set a deadline for entries, but it is likely to be a couple of weeks after semester two – so we’re looking at November.

If your story was an assignment, you will have time to incorporate feedback from your lecturers before submitting it. The story can also be from your individual or group work outside of assignments. But it needs to have been produced in 2023. We accept stories published on any platform or unpublished Word entries or links.

There are two categories: video/ audio or print/ online. The winner in each category will receive $1000 and a nice trophy. Runners up will receive a certificate. There’s kudos too because the awards are judged by senior former journalists and editors. We’re looking forward to seeing some great investigative journalism from student journalists.

In addition, Democracy’s Watchdogs soon will be posting an interview with the two journalists who broke the Lawyer X story; the repercussions of that scoop continue today as those convicted on tainted evidence appeal their sentences.

If you have any questions about the award or anything else please contact me, Bill Birnbauer, on [email protected]