Australia's annual celebration of literature has today recognised seven people for their cultural contributions and literary talents.

2022 PMLA winners: Red Heaven: Nicolas Rothwell, Human Looking: Andy Jackson, Rogue Forces: An explosive insiders' account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan: Mark Willacy, Semut: The untold story of a secret Australian operation in WWII Borneo:
The 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Award winners

Hosted at Design Tasmania Launceston, the 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Awards honoured the best of Australian literature.

Since 2008, the Prime Ministers Literary Awards have recognised individual excellence and the contribution Australian authors make to the nation's cultural and intellectual life each year.

At the ceremony, awards were presented in six categories—fiction, poetry, non-fiction, Australian history, children's literature and young adult literature. The prize pool for the awards is $600,000.

The Government congratulates the below winners and each of the shortlisted nominees for bringing diversity through their stories and forging a pathway for the future of Australia's literary sector.

The 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Award winners

Fiction

  • Red Heaven by Nicolas Rothwell

Poetry

  • Human Looking by Andy Jackson

Non-fiction

  • Rogue Forces: An explosive insiders' account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan by Mark Willacy

Australian history

  • Semut: The untold story of a secret Australian operation in WWII Borneo by Christine Helliwell

Children's literature

  • Mina and the Whole Wide World by Sherryl Clark, illustrated by Briony Stewart

Young adult literature

  • The Gaps by Leanne Hall

Find out more