The NT Independent has been nominated for two awards at the 2022 NT Media Awards – Best News Coverage and Best Crime/Court Reporting.

The NT Independent won both categories at last year’s awards.

The nominations come as the Fyles Government has followed the Gunner Government by continuing the illegal ban on the NT Independent, refusing to answer questions and blocking this publication from attending ministerial press conferences. The government’s actions have been condemned internationally for banning the free press.

The 2022 NT Media Award nominees were announced on Monday.

NT Independent editor Christopher Walsh was nominated for Best News Coverage (print/text) for his series of investigative articles on the suspicious procurement breaches by two of the most senior bureaucrats in the Department of Chief Minister to alter the scores of a tender to hire a company that ultimately selected current Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker for the role.

Journalist David Wood and Walsh were jointly nominated for Best Crime/Court Reporting (all media) for their series exposing how the police executive worked behind the scenes to rush to charge Constable Zach Rolfe with murder, only to see their case fall apart at trial.

“It’s vindicating to know our work is being recognised by interstate journalists as contributing positively to the Northern Territory – especially considering the Fyles Government have refused to answer our questions and the Police Commissioner tried to have us arrested and our office raided for reporting facts,” Walsh said.

“This year’s nominations are especially poignant as the illegal ban that has been condemned by journalism bodies worldwide continues with no end in sight. We’ve shown the government can’t stop us from reporting on critical issues that affect Territorians and holding them accountable to the public they serve.

“We want to thank everyone who has supported the NT Independent. Whether that was by subscribing, reading us or trusting us as a source to get the real story out there, we are grateful for the community’s continued support.”

The awards are organised by the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance, the Walkley Foundation and the NT Press Club and will be held on Saturday November 19 at 6:30pm in the theatre at Crocosaurus Cove on Mitchell St.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2022 NT Media Awards. You can buy tickets here.

Here is the full list of finalists for the 2022 NT Media Awards:

PRINT/TEXT

Best News Coverage Supported by Media Super

• Kristen Shorten, The Australian, “What really happened at Yuendumu”
• Jesse Thompson, ABC, “The government, the industry and the multi-billion dollar target”
• Christopher Walsh, NT Independent, “Watching the watchdog: Dept of Chief Minister procurement scandal revealed”

Best Feature Writing Supported by ABC

• Aneeta Bhole and Amy Gunia, SBS and TIME, “Energy Poverty”
• Matt Garrick, ABC, “Healing a Scarred Land”
• Sarah Matthews, ABC, “Body of Work”

Best Magazine or Lift Out Supported by Judith Neilson Institute

(Only 2 entries for this category)

• Leah McLennan, Robert Gosford, Madeleine Stenmark, Aengus Cassidy and Joy Cardona, Northern Land Council, “Land Rights News-Northern Edition”
• Tierney Seccull and the Off the Leash Team, Off the Leash Magazine

TELEVISION/RADIO

Best News Coverage Supported by Nine

• Jane Bardon, ABC, “Manganese contamination, lithium concerns and the Tiwis challenge big gas”
• Myles Houlbrook-Walk, ABC, “COVID in the NT”
• Jesse Thompson, ABC, “The trouble in the Top End homes”

Best Current Affairs or Feature Supported by Judith Neilson Institute

• Jane Bardon, ABC, “The Gap”
• Matt Garrick, ABC, “Body of Work: Red dirt healing”
• Steven Schubert, ABC, “How to make an electric vehicle work in outback Australia”

Excellence in Radio Broadcasting Supported by Media Super

• Jane Bardon, ABC, “Taking control: How Indigenous Communities Want to Closë The Gap”
• Lauren Roberts, ABC, “Medicine Listen Up!”
• Miranda Tetlow, ABC, “Body of Work”

ALL MEDIA

Best Online Coverage Supported by City of Darwin

• Roxanne Fitzgerald, ABC, “Bike Club in Yarralin”
• Samantha Jonscher, ABC, “Singleton Station water licence”
• Steve Vivian, Emma Masters, Michael Franchi and Dane Hirst, ABC, “The return of crocodile rule”

Best Sports Journalism Supported by Judith Neilson Institute

• Myles Houlbrook-Walk, ABC, “Body of Work”
• Jack Snape, ABC, “Territory footy makes national headlines”
• Nathaniel Chambers, NT News, ” NTFL and AFL in the Top End”

Best Crime/Court Reporting Supported by Hutton McCarthy

• Melissa Mackay, ABC, “Legal Aid pulls out”
• Kristen Shorten, Matt Cunningham, Lia Tsamoglou and Claire Harvey. The Australian and Sky News, “Yuendumu: The Trial”
• David Wood and Christopher Walsh, NT Independent, “Integrity on Trial:Behind the scenes of the Zach Rolfe murder case”

Pete Davies Memorial Campaigning Journalism Award Supported by NT News

• Jolene Laverty, ABC, “Breakdowns and suicide: NT Police call for better mental health support”
• Amanda Parkinson and Zizi Averill, NT News, “Spit hood shame: Territory cops still use the torture device on kids”
• Henry Zwartz, SBS, “US marines sexually assaulted women in the Northern Territory… and got away with it”

Indigenous affairs reporting Supported by Northern Land Council

• Jano Gibson and Michael Franchi, ABC, “Sacred sites at risk”
• Lauren Roberts, Emma Vincent and Natasha Mitchell, ABC, “Birthing on Yolngu Country”
• Kylie Stevenson, National Geographic, “Fighting Fire with Fire”

Visual Storytelling Supported by MEAA

• Floss Adams, NT News, “A Kiss From a War Hero”
• Che Chorley and Steve Vivian, ABC, “Out of Sight”
• Xavier Martin, ABC, “The Undriveable Highway”

Marchbanks Young Journalist of the Year 2022 Supported by MEAA

• Amy Clements, Nine Network, “The Trial of Zachary Rolfe”
• Melissa Mackay, ABC “Body of Work”
• Hugo Rickard-Bell, ABC, “Body of Work”