State Library stripped of literary award role in fellowship fallout”
The State Library of Queensland will no longer administer state literary awards on behalf of the government in response to a long-awaited review into the end of a scholarship last year.
Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek $15,000 black&summer intervention! brotherhood Last year, it led to the last-minute cancellation of the First Nations author’s awards ceremony in May.
Langbroek had accused Adelaide-based writer KA Ren Wyld of “glorifying terrorism” over a social media post praising slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
The decision led to an independent review into the roles of the library and the minister. state literary award delays driven by Resignation of 12 judges.
The review, by Australian Catholic University chancellor and former Supreme Court judge Martin Daubney AM KC, was delivered to the library in October and Langbroek in November.
Examination published on thursdayWith the statements from both Langbroek and the state library; the latter said it accepted all five proposals.
“This includes ceasing to administer the Queensland Literary Awards on behalf of the Queensland government,” the library said, without detailing which body would do so instead.
Langbroek said the library would “transfer the Queensland Literary Awards to alternative providers” and work with funding partner Creative Australia to do similar for black&write!
“More broadly, the Daubney Review highlighted the need for government-funded arts and cultural organizations to consider their policies and risk management frameworks to ensure they meet and are consistent with the Crisafulli government’s expectations,” Langbroek said. he said.
“We remain committed to the future of the literary awards and are determined to ensure they go from strength to strength.
“After a decade of decline under Labor rule, the Crisafulli government shamelessly maintains its stance that state-owned buildings will not be a platform for hate speech.”
Creative diversity and robust debate are important and central to the value of art; But we have taken decisive action to make Queensland safer.
Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek
Questions posed by this imprint to the library and Langbroek about the future of this year’s awards have not yet been answered. Applications for the 2025 awards opened on March 3 of the same year. No statement has been made yet regarding the 2026 calendar.
In his review, Daubney said that it was put into effect after the events of black&write! Langbroek’s decision to direct the library not to award the award to Wyld at a state-owned venue was “not a means of criticizing” his intervention.
“Rather, it was a broader exercise to identify lessons learned from the circumstances surrounding this intervention and to provide both context and guidance to the Board and SLQ management in the proper discharge of their functions and duties.”
Key findings of Daubney’s 57-page report include that the issue of land&writing scholarship highlights issues that need to be addressed through policy clarity, communication protocols and reputational risk management.
It found there was “uncertainty” about whether competitive literary prizes were the board’s core statutory function, and that policies on the use of space and intellectual freedom were policies that “required review”.
“There is an opportunity to strengthen communication protocols between the Board, the Minister and AQ [the Arts Queensland Department]especially for sensitive or high-profile decisions and the Minister’s expectations.”
As a result, Daubney recommended that Langbroek – with the advice of his department and the library board – “clarify as a matter of policy whether the administration of competitive literary awards is an appropriate function of the board.”
He also called on the board to review risk management and space use policy, as well as develop policies on awards and scholarships to set clear targets for each program.
These will include processes to help the board “mitigate any risk of reputational damage” by requiring those applying for the award or renting the venue to undergo background checks.
Entrants and venue renters will also be required to make a statement that if they will receive a prize or use public library space, they will not and must not engage in any conduct that is inconsistent with a prize program or that would “bring into disrepute” the library or the prize.
George Brandis, former Liberal senator for Queensland Appointed chairman of the library board by Langbroek last month.
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Matt Dennien is a reporter covering state politics and public services for the Brisbane Times. He previously worked for newspapers in Tasmania and Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ. Contact him securely on Signal @mattdennien.15Connect via email.
