Comments (6)

• It's time for winners, or shortlisted writers in the New Generation Indie Book Awards to be included in competitions such as this.
  
  Anna Funder self-published her book, 'All That I Am,' & won this prize. Only then was she picked up by a mainstream publisher.
  Posted by Deci Wraxall

  19 December 2014
• Murray is probably right on one score, the literary scene is a nest of vipers. Perhaps this is because the industry itself is so malnourished. Even some of our best literary magazines are elitist and discriminatory and the publishers with clout get the gong, while all others are sidelined or ignored. The whole system fails all but a few.
  Posted by R Hollingworth

  18 December 2014
• What a hotchpotch event! How can the PMLA ever transcend the Miles Franklin and Stella Awards while their results are interfered with by politicians, while the winners are not chosen by the literary judges to whom the task is set? If the Prime Minister wants to fund and choose a winner personally, then let him do so, but while tax payers' money is used, leave it to those professionally equipped to do so. Louise Adler's defence of the PM's interference in this regard is ludicrous and goes against her role of chairwoman of the judging panel.
  Posted by Liat Kirby

  17 December 2014
• Rob Kennedy is right. There will never be chances for Independent writers to compete for literary prizes in this country. The Prime Minister's Literary Award should be thrown open to everyone, regardless of who they are, but with a forward judging panel to pick the shortlisted. It's time the administrators of this prize had the courage to include all Australian writers who want to enter their work. The world of publishing is changing rapidly, with the traditional publishers clinging to their positions as writers take matters into their own hands. There are many brilliant writers who have been rejected for such reasons as, e.g. the publisher cannot put out another crime novel because they have only planned for four this year! These writers deserve an opportunity to join in the quest for literary reward.
  Posted by Diana Hockley

  17 December 2014
• This prize does liberate writers, some writers. There was certainly never going to be any Indie writers on the list, or in any other mainstream prize or publication.
  
  More's the pity. As publishing has diversified so much in the last five years; no lit prize or mainstream media outlet in Australia has diversified along with its literature.
  
  This prize will only ever be for a few select writers in this country. It does not represent the depth or dynamic of Australian literature. And all Australian's are missing out because of the closed off world of lit prizes and media in this country.
  Posted by Rob Kennedy

  17 December 2014
• Incredible! The truth is indeed stranger than fiction. Wouldn't this make a fine tale of dastardly deeds?
  Posted by Carol Middleton

  17 December 2014