The recipients of the 2022 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (PMLAs) have been announced.

The winners in each category receive $80,000 and the shortlisted writers each receive $5000. All prizes are tax-free.

Selected from shortlists announced in October, the winning books are:

Fiction

• Red Heaven (Nicolas Rothwell, Text)

Poetry

• Human Looking (Andy Jackson, Giramondo)

Nonfiction

• Rogue Forces: An explosive insiders’ account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan (Mark Willacy, S&S)

Australian history

• Semut: The untold story of a secret Australian operation in WWII Borneo (Christine Helliwell, Michael Joseph)

Young adult

• The Gaps (Leanne Hall, Text)

Children’s

• Mina and the Whole Wide World (Sherryl Clark, illus by Briony Stewart, UQP). (NZSA member too! – congratulations!)

The winners were announced today, 13 December, at a ceremony in Launceston.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the awards ‘highlighted the creativity and excellence of Australian literature’. ‘It is through great writing we are able to celebrate and build upon our cultural and creative identity,’ Albanese said. ‘I congratulate this year’s winners and thank them for their efforts in showcasing the diversity of Australian voices.’

For more information, see the Australian Government’s website.