01 Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Sports Journalism
0:00:00.000,0:00:02.000
Minister Arbib, if you will join us one more time
0:00:02.000,0:00:08.680
it is time for the final award of the
evening - the Lifetime Achievement Award for
0:00:08.680,0:00:13.099
Contribution to Sports Journalism.
It’s forged a significant reputation in this country
0:00:13.099,0:00:19.750
since 2002, when the legendary Olympic historian
Harry Gordon picked up the first such award.
0:00:19.750,0:00:26.750
In 2003, it was Norman May. 2004 - the late
great Socceroo Johnny Warren. 2005 - one of
0:00:27.180,0:00:31.949
Australia’s greatest tennis writers, Alan
Trengove. 2006 - Ian Heads recognised for
0:00:31.949,0:00:36.129
his outstanding contribution to sports journalism
in Australia. Mike Gibson, give him a round
0:00:36.129,0:00:42.239
of applause, in 2007 did pick up this Lifetime
Achievement award and he continues to show
0:00:42.239,0:00:48.329
that there is life after a Lifetime Achievement
award. In 2008 - Bruce McAvaney. Last year
0:00:48.329,0:00:51.190
Les Murray.
Well Minister Arbib, could you please announce
0:00:51.190,0:00:57.629
for us, the 2010 winner of the Lifetime Achievement
Award for contribution to Australian sports journalism.
0:00:57.629,0:01:02.000
>> MINISTER ARBIB: The winner – Caroline Wilson.
0:01:05.000,0:01:12.060
>> VOICEOVER: This award is for exceptional service to sports
journalism over an extended period of time.
0:01:12.060,0:01:18.530
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution
to Sports Journalism is awarded by the Australian
0:01:18.530,0:01:25.109
Sports Commission Board and is presented to
an individual who has made a lengthy, significant
0:01:25.109,0:01:29.820
and influential contribution to the reporting
of Australian sport.
0:01:29.820,0:01:36.020
This award is only bestowed if, in the opinion
of the Australian Sports Commission Board,
0:01:36.020,0:01:38.000
there is a single worthy recipient.
0:01:40.000,0:01:43.020
Often referred to as the 'First Woman of Football'
0:01:44.100,0:01:48.170
Caroline Wilson is one of Australia’s best-credentialed
journalists.
0:01:48.170,0:01:55.170
Outspoken and fearless, Caroline has been
chief football writer for The Age since 1999.
0:01:55.569,0:02:01.179
She previously worked for the Melbourne Herald
for 12 years, spending three years in the
0:02:01.179,0:02:07.719
UK and Europe covering major events including
Wimbledon, the British Open Golf, the FA Cup
0:02:07.719,0:02:14.670
final and British soccer riots.
In 1982 at The Herald, she became the first
0:02:14.670,0:02:19.879
woman to cover Australian rules football on
a full-time basis.
0:02:19.879,0:02:26.340
Caroline has also worked in radio, as an afternoon
program host for 3AW, and currently appears
0:02:26.340,0:02:33.340
on 3AW's pre-match AFL discussion, is a panelist
on Channel Nine's Footy Classified, and is
0:02:33.459,0:02:37.489
a regular panel member on the ABC’s Offisders
program.
0:02:37.489,0:02:43.599
Caroline is already a multi-award winning
journalist including becoming the first woman
0:02:43.599,0:02:50.549
to win the AFL's gold media award in 1988,
the first woman to be inducted into the Melbourne
0:02:50.549,0:02:56.739
Cricket Club's Media Hall of Fame, and is
also a former recipient of the Australian
0:02:56.739,0:03:03.739
Sports Commission’s Print Media Award for
best profiling of an athlete, team or coach.
0:03:03.849,0:03:09.970
Tonight Caroline becomes the first woman to
be selected as the Australian Sports Commission’s
0:03:09.970,0:03:14.290
Lifetime Achievement Award winner for Contribution
to Sports Journalism.
0:03:38.000,0:03:41.000
>> CAROLINE WILSON: I’d really like
to thank the Australian Sports Commission,
0:03:41.010,0:03:45.230
Senator Arbib, thank you
very much, to Warwick Smith and everyone who
0:03:45.230,0:03:51.980
deemed to put me among those incredible names,
I honestly feel very, very humble.
0:03:51.980,0:03:57.489
Harry Gordon in fact gave me my first job
as a 17 year old straight out of school, when
0:03:57.489,0:04:01.799
I joined the Melbourne Herald as a copy girl.
I always wanted to be a journalist. I wanted
0:04:01.799,0:04:07.290
to be a film critic until about the age of
19 or 20. There was just this room in the
0:04:07.290,0:04:11.530
old Melbourne Herald building where they seemed
to be having a lot more fun than anywhere
0:04:11.530,0:04:16.200
else in the place.
Look, I’d like to thank every sports editor
0:04:16.200,0:04:20.830
and editor I’ve ever worked for, starting
out with Ron Reid, my first sports editor
0:04:20.830,0:04:27.390
who told me that I could do anything, except
cover boxing, and my first editor, the late
0:04:27.390,0:04:32.390
great John Fitzgerald who told me that the
only stories worth writing were the ones that
0:04:32.390,0:04:37.700
they didn’t want you to write, up until
now with David Dick and Paul Remidge at
0:04:37.700,0:04:42.260
The Age. I’d like to thank my husband Brendan
who can’t be here tonight because he’s
0:04:42.260,0:04:47.130
up to his neck in the state election down
in Victoria, but I’ve been well represented
0:04:47.130,0:04:54.020
by my mother Julia and my brother and sister,
Amelia and William, who are with me tonight.
0:04:54.020,0:04:59.040
Thank you Mum and also my father too, for
indoctrinating me in football and the mighty
0:04:59.040,0:05:03.300
Richmond Football Club.
I’m very, very fortunate to have been born
0:05:03.300,0:05:10.300
in Melbourne. I love coming here. I love Sydney.
But we are a great city, and to be able to
0:05:10.670,0:05:15.860
be born, grow up, have children and work full
time covering the greatest game in the world,
0:05:15.860,0:05:24.000
which is Australian rules football, and work
with so many great people, I’ve just been
0:05:24.000,0:05:28.000
very, very lucky.
Just finally, I did notice that there weren’t
0:05:28.000,0:05:33.910
any other women on that incredible list and
I’m very, very proud to be the first one.
0:05:33.910,0:05:39.400
I knew last week sitting at the AFL draft
on the Gold Coast and watching Emma Quayle
0:05:39.400,0:05:45.160
write her stuff and read her stuff; that the
game, and women who cover it, are in very
0:05:45.160,0:05:48.430
good hands and I’m very, very proud.
So thank you very much.
Minister Arbib, if you will join us one more time
0:00:02.000,0:00:08.680
it is time for the final award of the
evening - the Lifetime Achievement Award for
0:00:08.680,0:00:13.099
Contribution to Sports Journalism.
It’s forged a significant reputation in this country
0:00:13.099,0:00:19.750
since 2002, when the legendary Olympic historian
Harry Gordon picked up the first such award.
0:00:19.750,0:00:26.750
In 2003, it was Norman May. 2004 - the late
great Socceroo Johnny Warren. 2005 - one of
0:00:27.180,0:00:31.949
Australia’s greatest tennis writers, Alan
Trengove. 2006 - Ian Heads recognised for
0:00:31.949,0:00:36.129
his outstanding contribution to sports journalism
in Australia. Mike Gibson, give him a round
0:00:36.129,0:00:42.239
of applause, in 2007 did pick up this Lifetime
Achievement award and he continues to show
0:00:42.239,0:00:48.329
that there is life after a Lifetime Achievement
award. In 2008 - Bruce McAvaney. Last year
0:00:48.329,0:00:51.190
Les Murray.
Well Minister Arbib, could you please announce
0:00:51.190,0:00:57.629
for us, the 2010 winner of the Lifetime Achievement
Award for contribution to Australian sports journalism.
0:00:57.629,0:01:02.000
>> MINISTER ARBIB: The winner – Caroline Wilson.
0:01:05.000,0:01:12.060
>> VOICEOVER: This award is for exceptional service to sports
journalism over an extended period of time.
0:01:12.060,0:01:18.530
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution
to Sports Journalism is awarded by the Australian
0:01:18.530,0:01:25.109
Sports Commission Board and is presented to
an individual who has made a lengthy, significant
0:01:25.109,0:01:29.820
and influential contribution to the reporting
of Australian sport.
0:01:29.820,0:01:36.020
This award is only bestowed if, in the opinion
of the Australian Sports Commission Board,
0:01:36.020,0:01:38.000
there is a single worthy recipient.
0:01:40.000,0:01:43.020
Often referred to as the 'First Woman of Football'
0:01:44.100,0:01:48.170
Caroline Wilson is one of Australia’s best-credentialed
journalists.
0:01:48.170,0:01:55.170
Outspoken and fearless, Caroline has been
chief football writer for The Age since 1999.
0:01:55.569,0:02:01.179
She previously worked for the Melbourne Herald
for 12 years, spending three years in the
0:02:01.179,0:02:07.719
UK and Europe covering major events including
Wimbledon, the British Open Golf, the FA Cup
0:02:07.719,0:02:14.670
final and British soccer riots.
In 1982 at The Herald, she became the first
0:02:14.670,0:02:19.879
woman to cover Australian rules football on
a full-time basis.
0:02:19.879,0:02:26.340
Caroline has also worked in radio, as an afternoon
program host for 3AW, and currently appears
0:02:26.340,0:02:33.340
on 3AW's pre-match AFL discussion, is a panelist
on Channel Nine's Footy Classified, and is
0:02:33.459,0:02:37.489
a regular panel member on the ABC’s Offisders
program.
0:02:37.489,0:02:43.599
Caroline is already a multi-award winning
journalist including becoming the first woman
0:02:43.599,0:02:50.549
to win the AFL's gold media award in 1988,
the first woman to be inducted into the Melbourne
0:02:50.549,0:02:56.739
Cricket Club's Media Hall of Fame, and is
also a former recipient of the Australian
0:02:56.739,0:03:03.739
Sports Commission’s Print Media Award for
best profiling of an athlete, team or coach.
0:03:03.849,0:03:09.970
Tonight Caroline becomes the first woman to
be selected as the Australian Sports Commission’s
0:03:09.970,0:03:14.290
Lifetime Achievement Award winner for Contribution
to Sports Journalism.
0:03:38.000,0:03:41.000
>> CAROLINE WILSON: I’d really like
to thank the Australian Sports Commission,
0:03:41.010,0:03:45.230
Senator Arbib, thank you
very much, to Warwick Smith and everyone who
0:03:45.230,0:03:51.980
deemed to put me among those incredible names,
I honestly feel very, very humble.
0:03:51.980,0:03:57.489
Harry Gordon in fact gave me my first job
as a 17 year old straight out of school, when
0:03:57.489,0:04:01.799
I joined the Melbourne Herald as a copy girl.
I always wanted to be a journalist. I wanted
0:04:01.799,0:04:07.290
to be a film critic until about the age of
19 or 20. There was just this room in the
0:04:07.290,0:04:11.530
old Melbourne Herald building where they seemed
to be having a lot more fun than anywhere
0:04:11.530,0:04:16.200
else in the place.
Look, I’d like to thank every sports editor
0:04:16.200,0:04:20.830
and editor I’ve ever worked for, starting
out with Ron Reid, my first sports editor
0:04:20.830,0:04:27.390
who told me that I could do anything, except
cover boxing, and my first editor, the late
0:04:27.390,0:04:32.390
great John Fitzgerald who told me that the
only stories worth writing were the ones that
0:04:32.390,0:04:37.700
they didn’t want you to write, up until
now with David Dick and Paul Remidge at
0:04:37.700,0:04:42.260
The Age. I’d like to thank my husband Brendan
who can’t be here tonight because he’s
0:04:42.260,0:04:47.130
up to his neck in the state election down
in Victoria, but I’ve been well represented
0:04:47.130,0:04:54.020
by my mother Julia and my brother and sister,
Amelia and William, who are with me tonight.
0:04:54.020,0:04:59.040
Thank you Mum and also my father too, for
indoctrinating me in football and the mighty
0:04:59.040,0:05:03.300
Richmond Football Club.
I’m very, very fortunate to have been born
0:05:03.300,0:05:10.300
in Melbourne. I love coming here. I love Sydney.
But we are a great city, and to be able to
0:05:10.670,0:05:15.860
be born, grow up, have children and work full
time covering the greatest game in the world,
0:05:15.860,0:05:24.000
which is Australian rules football, and work
with so many great people, I’ve just been
0:05:24.000,0:05:28.000
very, very lucky.
Just finally, I did notice that there weren’t
0:05:28.000,0:05:33.910
any other women on that incredible list and
I’m very, very proud to be the first one.
0:05:33.910,0:05:39.400
I knew last week sitting at the AFL draft
on the Gold Coast and watching Emma Quayle
0:05:39.400,0:05:45.160
write her stuff and read her stuff; that the
game, and women who cover it, are in very
0:05:45.160,0:05:48.430
good hands and I’m very, very proud.
So thank you very much.
WINNER: Caroline Wilson
