Best coverage of community sport issue – rural & regional media

This award is for media based outside major metropolitan areas. It recognises the best example of responsible, well-researched and analytical coverage of issues affecting community sport in rural and regional Australia. Community impact will be considered. For the purposes of this award, ‘issues’ do not include match or event reports or previews.

2022 Winner

Zoe Keenan and Dinushi Dias, ABC South West WA ‘Racism and sexism in country football’

In this series by Zoe Keenan and Dinushi Dias, South Bunbury Football Club players shared their experiences of racial and sexual vilification, opens in a new tab which uncovered claims of a club culture where “toxic” behaviour was tolerated. The coverage triggered an investigation by the WA Football Commission with input from the AFL and an intervention by WA Sports Minister David Templeman.

Finalists

Steve Tervet, Border Mail ‘Behind the scenes’

Volunteers are the very lifeblood of regional football-netball clubs which keep people connected to their communities. Steve Tervet’s series looks into the Coreen Daysdale Hopefield Buraja United club and how its volunteer base, opens in a new tab is growing and thriving despite a steady population decrease as farms in the region grow larger.

Nicholas Wright, Townsville Bulletin ‘Fight from within’

In small communities where mental illness and suicide rates skyrocket, sport is often an outlet for many to fight off their inner demons. For the series 'Fight from within',, opens in a new tab athletes from grassroots to the top of their code shared their own struggles in the hope it would help others speak up about mental illness.

Chad Van Estrop, Geelong Advertiser ‘Setting new boundaries to stamp out abuse’

Months after reporting on sexist on-field abuse of female football umpire Molly McKenzie and AFL Victoria’s cover up of the penalties imposed on the perpetrator, Chad Van Estrop spoke to her for a powerful news feature, opens in a new tab. The story showed the other side of umpire abuse and challenged a norm that abusing umpires was part of spectators enjoying the game.