Winners for 30th Clarion Awards announced
Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA)
MEDIA STATEMENT
October 18, 2025
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance is delighted to announce the winners for the 2025 Queensland Clarion Awards, celebrating journalistic excellence across the state.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the awards, this year’s Clarions attracted more than 330 entries across 28 categories, reflecting the strength, diversity, and impact of journalism across the state.
Winners exemplified fearless reporting, innovation, and a deep commitment to public interest journalism.
The coveted Journalist of the Year Award went to Ben Smee, Jennifer Luu, Jodie Noyce and Chloe Angelo from Guardian Australia and SBS for their groundbreaking investigation “In the Box: Inside the Isolation Cells where Australian Kids are Imprisoned”.
Judges described the documentary as “a powerful example of public interest journalism at its best.”
“This investigation into children being locked up in Queensland watch houses combined compelling vision and high production values with well-researched and impactful storytelling,” they said.
“In the Box captured the attention of the viewer, had an impact, and helped lead to change.”
Nine’s Andrew Lofthouse received the Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism Award.
“Andrew Lofthouse’s career is defined not only by the quality of his work but how he did it,” said Brendan Hockings, Director of News, Nine Queensland.
“His legendary humility, respect for his team, and fierce pride in the calling of journalism make him a wonderful ambassador for 9News and for our industry as a whole. This recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made is so richly deserved.”
ABC’s Josh Robertson took out the Investigative Journalism Award for “My Friend, the Killer”.
Robertson’s compelling storytelling took listeners deep into the lives of the murderous Train trio in the years leading up to the Wieambilla shooting. Judges praised his ability to use an old personal connection with one of the killers to tell the story in a unique and revealing way.
“He gained the trust of family members and others close to the investigation to uncover important new details — including early evidence of the trio’s bizarre behaviour and close connections,” they said.
Emma Cam from The Cairns Post was named New Journalist of the Year for her “Operation Safe Zone: Safety Solutions for Healthcare Workers” series.
Delivering real change to safety conditions for regional health workers was at the heart of Cam’s reporting.
“It was a strong field, but she stood out with her campaigning journalism. Despite limited resources, she produced consistently excellent stories that resulted in a win for nurses in Far North Queensland,” judges said.
The Clarion Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of journalists, photographers, and media professionals across Queensland — honouring those who continue to shine a light on stories that matter and strengthen the fabric of public interest journalism.
Winners for the 2025 Queensland Clarion Awards:
All Media
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues Reporting proudly sponsored by Queensland Council of Unions
Ella Archibald-Binge, ABC, “Queensland’s Long Search for Truth”
Artwork, Cartoon, Illustration or Graphic
Mark Brown, Nine, “Griffith Sentence”
Broadcast Interview proudly sponsored by ABC
Tom Hartley and Emily Jane Smith, ABC, “Exclusive Interview with Hadi Nazari: The man who survived 13 days lost in Kosciuszko National Park”
Business Journalism
Lexy Hamilton-Smith, ABC, “Global Mining Companies Face Landmark Class Actions over Shocking Allegations of Sexual Abuse, including Rape, on Australian Mine Sites – Exclusive”
Commentary, Analysis, Opinion or Critique
Ben Smee, Guardian Australia, “Making Sense of Two Elections”
Health and Science Reporting
Tom Hartley, Rahni Sadler and Laura Kewley, ABC, “Toxic Truth: Exposing the Hidden Dangers of Vitamin B6”
Innovation
Lia Walsh, ABC, “Social Media Reporting at the US Election”
Most Outstanding Final Year Journalism Student – Graduating 2025
Rose Innes, Queensland University of Technology and The Courier-Mail, “Body of Work”
Multicultural Reporting
Eden Gillespie, ABC, “Rehana Parvin: Not Forgotten”
New Journalist of the Year
Emma Cam, The Cairns Post, “Operation Safe Zone: Safety Solutions for Healthcare Workers”
Rural Journalism
Liam Walsh, ABC, “Thirst Tragedy: How Hundreds of Cattle Died in a Heatwave”
Social Issues Reporting proudly sponsored by the Independent Education Union
Ben Smee, Jennifer Luu, Jodie Noyce and Chloe Angelo, Guardian Australia and SBS, “In the Box: Inside the Isolation Cells where Australian Kids are Imprisoned”
Sports Journalism
James Hall and Zoe Samios, The Australian Financial Review, “How It All Went Wrong for Rocky Elsom”
Three Headings
Baz McAlister, The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, “High Owe, Silver!”
Photography
Best Metropolitan News Photo
Brian Cassey, Freelance for The Courier-Mail, “Heart Attack – Millionaire Castaway David Glasheen”
Photographic Essay
Brian Cassey, Freelance for The Courier-Mail, “Vale Millionaire Castaway – David Glasheen”
Print / Text
Feature Article proudly sponsored by the Local Government Association of Queensland
Josh Robertson, ABC, “My Friend, the Killer”
News Report proudly sponsored by 9News
Lexy Hamilton-Smith, ABC, “Shocking Allegations of Sexual Abuse on Australia’s Biggest Mine Sites – Exclusive Class Action Revealed”
Radio / Audio
Radio, Documentary and Podcast proudly sponsored by Media Super
Tara Cassidy and Romy Sher, Southern Cross Austereo / LiSTNR, “Killer Charm: Money, Men & Murder”
Radio News and Current Affairs
Kate McKenna, David Chen and Elizabeth Cramsie, ABC, “The Toddler Whose Disappearance Went Unnoticed for Two Years”
Television / Audio Visual
Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary or Special Broadcast
Mark Willacy, Jonathan Miller and Ryan Sheridan, ABC, “Endurance”
News Report
Tim Arvier and Brendan Hockings, Nine, “Police Release Victim Information”
The John Bean Memorial Award for Television Camerawork proudly sponsored by ABC
Brendan Mounter, ABC, “The Rare and Deadly Disease Killing Dozens in Far North Queensland”
Regional and Community Coverage
Broadcast Report
Will Hunter and Peta McEachern, Toowoomba Chronicle, “Fight for the Forgotten”
Feature Article or Opinion Piece – Print/Text proudly sponsored by Media Super
Kallee Buchanan, ABC, “When Dams Fail, People Die: Finding the Flaw in Paradise that Puts Thousands at Risk”
News Photograph proudly sponsored by Seven News Brisbane
Annette Dew, Gold Coast Bulletin, “The Scars that Remind Me I’m Perfect”
News Report – Print/Text
Michael Nolan, Toowoomba Chronicle, “No One Listened”
Major Awards
Investigative Journalism proudly sponsored by Brisbane Airport
Josh Robertson, ABC, “My Friend, the Killer”
Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism proudly sponsored by The University of Queensland
Andrew Lofthouse, Nine
Journalist of the Year, proudly sponsored by The Courier-Mail
Ben Smee, Jennifer Luu, Jodie Noyce and Chloe Angelo, Guardian Australia and SBS, “In the Box: Inside the Isolation Cells where Australian Kids are Imprisoned”