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Jason Om Awarded Prestigious Walkley Award

Congratulations to multi-award-winning ABC journalist and Class of 1998 past student Jason Om, who along with Alex McDonald and Ake Prihantari was awarded the 2021 Media Diversity Australia Walkley Award on Wednesday 16 June for a series on 7.30 (ABC) sharing stories about the human cost of the multi-million dollar food delivery business.

The judges said: “Price of Convenience exposed the real-world tragedy of the fast-food industry in a society expecting more immediacy in all aspects of life. The investigation brought the lack of legal and other industry protections to light within fast food delivery services. The research and commitment to find and tell the story of heart-wrenching case studies and push for better protection and support for an often-underrepresented part of Australian society is second to none.”

The Media Diversity Australia Award honours journalists who are making an outstanding contribution through their reporting or coverage of diverse people or issues in Australia. This includes culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD) and people with disability (PWD).

It celebrates reporting that demonstrates notable courage in raising awareness of CALD and/or PWD experiences and perspectives, as well as innovation in the telling of these stories. It recognises the significance of media coverage in providing nuanced reporting which serves to alter perceptions and attitudes, challenge stereotypes and fight misinformation.

Source: The Walkley Foundation