The judging process

Entry Criteria

The Prize has been instituted to commemorate the life, work and writing of John Button. It is designed to encourage Australian writers, thinkers and policy makers to emulate the public contribution to Australian culture John Button made through the lucid, eloquent and incisive writing and ideas that were his hallmark.

The Prize is open to any published piece of non-fiction writing on public policy and politics published in Australia from 1 May 2012 to 30 April 2013. Apart from the criteria set out below, judges will give preference to works that consider substantial policy issues that have gven attention to the long-term future of Australia. The work can be a piece of journalism or reportage, an essay, an academic or think tank research paper, a biography, a polemic, a manifesto or a speech that has also been published in the public domain. Writers may submit up to six articles or columns – an entry based on a body of work – provided that the pieces of writing all address the same subject or theme. Works of history may be considered, provided that in the opinion of the judges the issues they raise resonate strongly in the policy debates of the present day.

Entries must have been published as books, in the media, in journals, or online. Work published on websites that are deemed by the judges to be part of the public domain may be considered. Work published on personal blogs and websites will not be considered.
Entries will be judged on a range of criteria, including:

• The impact and public benefit of the work.
• The power and originality of its ideas.
• Literary merit.
• Accuracy and, where relevant, fairness.

The panel has the discretion to order these criteria, or add others, according to its judgement.

How to Enter

Entries must be submitted by 5 pm on 1 May 2013.

All entries must be submitted in electronic form, except for books, which should be submitted in hard copy form.

Electronic entries should be submitted via loretta@johnbuttonprize.org.au Books (three copies of each entry) must be mailed or delivered to: The John Button Foundation, PO Box 1011, Collingwood. Hand deliveries to The John Button Foundation, c/– Australian Communities Foundation, Fitzroy Town Hall, 201 Napier Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065

The winner

The winner will be announced at an award ceremony in Melbourne in late August at the Melbourne International Writers' Festival. The winner will also be required to conduct a seminar for post-graduate students at the University of Melbourne, and give a public lecture on any aspect of the work that won the Prize.