The Advertiser’s Dying Rose podcast wins Walkley Award

Our podcast exploring the police response to the deaths of six Aboriginal women has received one of the most prestigious awards in Australian journalism.

The Advertiser’s Dying Rose podcast has been awarded a top gong at the 68th annual Walkley Awards.

The series was named the winner in the Audio Long (over 20 minutes) category on Thursday night.

Douglas Smith, Kathryn Bermingham, Emily Olle, Gemma Jones, Dan Box and Jasper Leak share the award.

The series was named for Rose Hunter-Hebberman, who was just 19 when she was found dead in a shed at the rear of a property in Adelaide’s inner south.

Her mother Courtney has searched for answers since.

The team travelled across the country to tell the stories – which were read by more than 2.4 million Australians – of Aboriginal women and girls whose families had serious questions about how they came to die.

Editor Gemma Jones met Courtney by chance 18 months ago and Indigenous Affairs reporter Douglas Smith, State Political Editor Kathryn Bermingham and senior reporter Emily Olle worked tirelessly on the series. Dan Box and Jasper Leak from News Corp’s audio team produced the series.

Dying Rose team Dan Box, Douglas Smith, Gemma Jones, Emily Olle, Kathryn Birmingham and Jasper Leak. Picture: Adam Hollingworth / Walkley Foundation

The winner for Audio Long, supported by @minterellison is: the Dying Rose Team of the Adelaide Advertiser (@theTiser). #walkleyspic.twitter.com/ounZGr62RE

— Walkley Foundation (@walkleys) November 23, 2023

“Eternally grateful to the team who made this possible,” Rose’s mum said.

Ms Jones said she was incredibly proud of the team.

“My colleagues worked so hard on our mission to tell the stories of these lost women and girls and to seek answers for their families,” she said.

Freelance journalist Daniel Clarke won best Community Coverage for a body of work, including a feature in the Saturday Advertiser.