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Queensland’s literary awards have been hit by delays after the major cultural event lost more than one-third of its judges following ministerial intervention to torpedo a separate First Nations fellowship early in the year.

The awards, supported by the state government via Arts Queensland and the state library, were slated to reveal shortlisted entries on August 5 – the same week library chief Vicki McDonald shared detail of the record judge exodus.

Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said in August that if people “choose not to be judges again, we will find other judges”. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

No update has been shared by the awards or library, which manages them, since. Its website had noted dates including a planned September 12 announcement of winners, but now states

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