Colin Simpson Keynote, ASA Medal presented, O’Donnell Essay Prize announced

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) held the Colin Simpson Memorial Keynote on 14 November at State Library Victoria, where it awarded the ASA Medal, and the Australian Copyright Council (ACC) awarded the G C O’Donnell Essay Prize.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the ASA, the event was introduced by Claire G Coleman in a reading from her poetry in Solid Air: Australian and New Zealand Spoken Word (UQP).

Helen Garner was presented with the ASA Medal, following the announcement of her win in October. Garner said: ‘I’m so happy, I can’t tell you. I want to thank the ASA for all their work over these years. They know what we’re up against as writers and they work on it.’ ASA chair Sophie Cunningham spoke about Garner’s work and about Garner as a mentor. Garner first joined ASA in 1978, the same year her debut novel Monkey Grip (Text) won the National Book Council Award.

Cormac Mercer was awarded the $3500 G C O’Donnell Essay Prize for his essay on AI and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). The award honours Gustaf (Gus) Charles O’Donnell, who was the founder of the ACC, an author, and a key figure in the history of the ASA, prominent in the fight to establish public lending rights.

Shankari Chandran and Toni Jordan jointly presented the annual Colin Simpson Keynote Address. Reflecting on growing up in Australia, Chandran began by speaking about the lack of literary characters who were people of colour. Chandran added that Melina Marchetta was one of the few Australian authors to write characters she could identify with. Chandran said: ‘Writers of colour are more present now in the Australian literary landscape than they’ve ever been; and it’s about time.’

Toni Jordan continued the keynote address on celebrating Australian authors. ‘Australian writing is in the most vibrant, successful and diverse time in its history, and we have all contributed to that. And we are still here, still telling the stories that reflect and define our nation,’ said Jordan. ‘We have a long way to go in terms of representation, being fairly paid for our work, and being supported and valued by governments as the original creators that we are—but things are getting better.’

This keynote commemorates the life of journalist and author Colin Simpson, a founding member of the ASA, the driving force behind introducing public lending rights.

Pictured left to right: Cormac Mercer and Helen Garner.

Category: Local news