The Courier-Mail’s Damien Tomlinson wins Headline of the Year at 2022 News Awards

The Courier-Mail’s Damien Tomlinson has won Headline of the Year at the 2022 News Awards for his work covering a drink driving mayor.

The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail’s Damien Tomlinson.

The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail’s Damien Tomlinson has won Headline of the Year at the 2022 News Awards.

The headline was for a story on Redlands Mayor Karen Williams’ drink driving charge. Ms Williams’ offence came after a zoom meeting on June 23 with three families who have lost children to drink drivers.

“Zoom with a few,” Mr Tomlinson headlined the June 25 article.

The Redland City mayor admitted to driving after downing “several glasses of wine” but resisted calls for her resignation. The alcohol was consumed at a council budget ‘after party’, before the zoom meeting. The zoom meeting with the crash victims’ families ended at 7pm before she crashed a council owned Lexus station wagon into trees less than an hour later.

Referring to coming up with headlines, The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail’s deputy night editor Mr Tomlinson noted being inspired by his colleagues and thanked his fellow finalists among others.

“The editors who back us when we come up with our stupid ideas, most of them are absolutely unprintable, but the odd one escapes through,” said Mr Tomlinson.

Several reporters from The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail were acknowledged as News Corp News Setters - journalists who achieve great results in terms of audience engagement, subscription achievement, and community response - including Matty Holdsworth, Greg Stolz, Samantha Scott and Madura McCormack.

Full list of The Courier and Sunday Mails finalists

Best Coverage – Major Event

• Bogie Man Murders – The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail, Mackay Daily Mercury, Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, Townsville Bulletin

Scoop – Visual and Audio

• Jackie Sinnerton, The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail – Secrets of the baby factory

Campaign – State/National

• The Sunday Mail, couriermail.com.au – Dear Premier: Letters from stranded Australians
• The Courier-Mail – Through the Cracks: Mental health crisis

Human-Interest Storytelling – State/National

• Kate Kyriacou, The Sunday Mail – Whatever it takes: Dr Stephen Rashford’s incredible work

Headline of the Year

• Damien Tomlinson – The Sunday Mail
• Baz McAlister – The Sunday Mail
  

Bill Leak Cartoonist of the Year

• Brett Lethbridge – The Courier-Mail