The ABC’s Patrick Martin is South Australia’s Journalist of the Year

Patrick Martin from the ABC’s Adelaide newsroom has been named South Australia’s Journalist of the Year for his work on the MP expenses scandal.

The judges said:

“(Patrick’s) series of stories took skill and courage as he pursued prominent politicians who were desperate to avoid scrutiny.

“At a time when journalism is under extraordinary pressure to deliver with shrinking resources, these in-depth reports really emphasise the importance of actively seeking out the truth and independently checking on authority.

“Patrick stamped himself as a broadcast journalist who could exercise patience and persistence to achieve a result and shine a light in a dark place.”

Martin and Nick Harmsen shared in three awards for their work exposing the MP expenses scandal, which began to unfold in June 2020 with the publication of an investigation into the living arrangements of a state parliamentarian. It led to the resignations of three MPs and a string of others being forced to repay accommodation allowance payments.

Last year Martin and Harmsen shared the Gold Award for their work on the story.

Among the ABC’s other winners last night, Gabriella Marchant was named SA’s Best Rural/Regional Journalist and Paul Culliver Best Radio Broadcaster.

ABC journalists also won the categories for Best Coverage of Public Service Journalism (Martin and Harmsen), Best Investigative Journalism (Martin and Harmsen), Best Radio News or Current Affairs or Feature Report (Paul Culliver), Best TV/Video News Report (Britanny Evins), TV/Video Camerawork (Lincoln Rothall) and Print/Text News Report.= (Martin and Harmsen).

The full list of ABC finalists and winners:

Bronze Award Categories: All Media

Best Rural/Regional Journalist

•  Jodie Hamilton, ABC online, ABC Youtube, ABC iview and ABC Facebook, “Eyre Peninsula work”
• WINNER: Gabriella Marchant, ABC online, ABC AM and ABC 7PM news, “Body of Work”

Best Coverage of Public Service Journalism

• Paul Culliver, ABC online and RN’s Background Briefing, “Port Pirie’s lead problem”

• WINNER: Patrick Martin and Nicholas Harmsen, ABC News, ABC online and 7PM, “SA parliament expenses scandal”

Best Investigative Journalism

• Paul Culliver, ABC online and RN’s Background Briefing, “Port Pirie’s lead problem”

• WINNER: Patrick Martin and Nicholas Harmsen, ABC News, ABC online and 7PM, “MP expenses scandal”

Bronze Award Categories: Radio

Best Radio News or Current Affairs or Feature Report

• WINNER: Paul Culliver, RN’s Background Briefing, The World Today and RN Breakfast, “Port Pirie’s lead problem”
• Annie Hastwell, Mike Ladd and Tom Henry, ABC Radio National The History Listen, “Tommy Walker and the Bone Collector”
• Caroline Winter, The World Today, ABC national radio PM and AM, ABC national radio, “COVID outbreak plunges South Australia into lockdown”

Bronze Award Categories: Television

Best TV/Video News Report

• Claire Campbell, ABC News, “Kangaroo Island disaster and recovery”
• WINNER: Brittany Evins, ABC News, “Recovery”

Best TV Current Affairs or Feature

• Angelique Donnellan, ABC 7.30, “Adelaide Outbreak”

TV/Video Camerawork

• WINNER: Lincoln Rothall, ABC News and 7PM, “Body of Work”

Bronze Award Categories: Print/Digital

Print/Text News Report

• Paul Culliver, ABC News online, “Port Pirie’s lead problem”
• WINNER: Patrick Martin and Nicholas Harmsen,  ABC News online, “Expenses scandal”

Bronze Award Categories: Photography

Best Feature Photograph or Photographic Series

• Bec Whetham, ABC online, “Jill’s Vintage”

Silver Award Categories

Best Radio Broadcaster 

• WINNER: Paul Culliver, ABC Radio Adelaide, ABC Radio Melbourne and RN’s Background Briefing, “Body of Work”

TV Broadcaster (Presenter, Reporter and/or Camera)

• Angelique Donnellan, ABC 7.30, “Body of Work”
• WINNER: Patrick Martin, ABC TV News South Australia, 7PM, “MP expenses investigated”

Best Photographer

• Bec Whetham, ABC online, “Body of Work”

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Media contact: Sally Jackson | ABC Communications jackson.sally@abc.net.au