John Ferguson and Cameron Stewart in line for Melbourne Press Club award

Two of The Australian’s most senior Victorian reporters have been nominated for Scoop of the Year in the Melbourne Press Club’s Quill Awards.

Associate editor John Ferguson. Picture: Richard Dobson

Two of The Australian’s most senior Victorian reporters have been nominated for Scoop of the Year in the Melbourne Press Club’s Quill Awards.

Associate editor John Ferguson has been nominated for ­breaking the story of mushroom cook Erin Patterson, who served a lunch that led to the deaths of three family members – her ­estranged partner Simon’s parents Don and Gail Patterson and aunt Heather Wilkinson. A fourth person at the lunch, ­ Wilkinson’s husband Ian, was left critically ill.

Chief international correspondent Cameron Stewart. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Ms Patterson has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of ­attempted murder, including four relating to her ex-partner. She has denied wrongdoing.

Chief international correspondent Cameron Stewart has been nominated for his report­ ­revealing the US had sent Australia a request to send a warship to help protect ships in the Red Sea from attacks by Iran-backed militia as Middle East tensions escalated over the Israel-Hamas war.