...it’s always been

my contention that great criticism is about love more than hate, construction more than destruction. That in many ways what a good critic does is nearer to the task of a translator who has found a way of channeling one form of language into another. And in some cases even improving on the original source, sacrilegious as that might sound. 

Mark Mordue
2010 Pascall Prize recipient

2012 Judging panel

Alison Croggon, Geordie Williamson, Adrian Read (convenor)

Link2012 Judges' Report



2012 Debating Panel

"Criticism and Witticism...
does Australia's creative community take itself too bloody seriously?"


Bruce Elder (moderator)

Music Critic, Travel Writer, Sydney Morning Herald

Jonathan Biggins

Actor, director, writer and corporate speaker and entertainer

Barry Divola

Freelance journalist, critic, columnist & author

Parnell McGuinness

Editor, Binge Thinking, Principal, Thought Broker

John Newton

Freelance writer, journalist, novelist & teacher

Past Judging panels

  • 2011 
    John McCallum, Mark Mordue, Damon Young, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link2011 Judges' Report
  • 2010 
    Kathy Cleland, Alison Croggon, Damon Young, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link2010 judges' report
  • 2009
    Kate Eltham, Robert Forster, Leo Schofield , Rosemary Sorensen, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link2009 judges' report
  • 2008
    not awarded
  • 2007
    Bruce Elder (Convenor), Ray Hughes, John McCallum, Julie Rigg, Julianne Schulz
    Link2007 judges' report
  • 2006
    Peter Craven, Malcolm Gillies, Kate Gould, Deborah Jones, Antonia Syme, Lyndon Terracini
    Link2006 judges' report
  • 2005
    Elizabeth Farrelly, Marion Halligan, Adrian Martin, Robert Nelson, Susan Wyndham
    Link2005 judges' report
  • 2004
    Mary Jo Capps, Andrew Ford, Noel Purdon, Andrew Riemer, Julie Rigg
    Link2004 judges' report
  • 2003
    Bruce Elder, Andrew Ford, Sandra Hall, David Throsby
    Link2003 judges' report
  • 2002
    Gay Bilson, Sandra Forbes, Sandra Hall, John McCallum, Adrian Martin, Andrew Riemer
    Link2002 judges' report
  • 2001
    Gay Bilson, Bruce Elder, Andrew Ford, Sandra Hall, Robert Nelson, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link2001 judges' report
  • 2000
    Gay Bilson, Marion Halligan, Adrian Martin, Andrew Riemer, Alan Saunders
    Link2000 judges' report
  • 1999
    Bruce Elder, Andrew Ford, Marion Halligan, Jill Kitson, Adrian Martin, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link1999 judges' report
  • 1998
    Bruce Elder, Sandra Hall,  John McCallum, Joanna Mendelssohn, David Throsby, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link1998 judges' report
  • 1997
    Roger Covell, Bruce Elder, Sandra Hall, Marion Halligan, John McCallum, Cyrus Meher-Homji, Joanna Mendelssohn, Alan Saunders, Gay Bilson (Convenor)
    Link1997 judges' report
  • 1996
    Roger Covell, Sandra Hall, John McCallum, Joanna Mendelssohn, Marion Halligan, Alan Saunders, Margaret Throsby AM (Convenor)
    Link1996 judges' report
  • 1995
    Katherine Brisbane AM, Martin Portus, Jane Westbrook, Adrian Read (Convenor)
    Link1995 judges' report
  • 1994
    Margaret Fink, Richard Glover, Sandra Levy, John O'Hara, Kim WIlliams (Convenor)
    Link1994 judges' report
  • 1993
    Warren Fahey, Diana Simmonds, Ken Tribe AC, Evan Williams, Kim Williams
    Link1993 judges' report
  • 1992
    Gay Bilson, Marion Halligan, Barbara Santich
    Link1992 judges' report
  • 1991
    Andrew Andersons, Leon Paroissen, Daniel Thomas
    Link1991 judges' report
  • 1990
    Andrew Riemer (Convenor), Rosemary Sorensen,
    Ian Templeman
    Link1990 judges' report
  • 1989
    not awarded
  • 1988
    x