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Prime Minister's Literary awards: Tara June Winch wins in record-breaking year for Indigenous work

Written By Unknown on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 | 5:18 PM

Winch becomes the first Indigenous author to win both Australia’s major writing prizes in the same year for her novel the Yield

Tara June Winch has become the first Indigenous Australian to win both of Australia’s major writing prizes in a year, taking out the $80,000 fiction category for the 2020 Prime Minister’s Literary award on Thursday after winning the $60,000 Miles Franklin in July.

This year’s awards, announced on Thursday, included a record showing for Indigenous writers and writers of colour, with the Gay’wu Group of Women winning the non-fiction category for Songspirals; the Darug duo of Jasmine Seymour and Leanne Mulgo Watson winning in the children’s category for Cooee Mittigar; and Omar Sakr becoming the first Arab Australian Muslim poet to be shortlisted – and then to win – in the poetry category for his book the Lost Arabs.

I didn't get any sleep last night. In 24hrs I find out whether I won an $80,000 award, the biggest poetry prize in the country. They don't let the winner know in advance, so there's a genuine chance I won. I feel sick. It's the difference between being able to own a home and not.

Related: ‘I had to be manic’: Tara June Winch on her unmissable new novel – and surviving Andrew Bolt

Sorry the livestream has dropped out on the #PMLitAwards, we are working to fix it and bring you the rest of the awards.

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