LIFE PUBLISHING GROUP TAKES TOP STATE HONOURS

Mayor of Mackay Greg Williamson, Editor in Chief Life Publishing Group Rachael Smith,  Mayor of Burdekin Pierina Dalle Cort, Mayor of Hinchinbrook Ramon Jayo and Mayor of the Whitsundays Ry Collins.

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Life Publishing Group has won the Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) Journalism Award, beating The Australian and the ABC to claim the $10,000 top prize.

The award, announced at last Tuesday’s LGAQ Annual Conference in Cairns, recognised “journalistic excellence” across the North Queensland-based publisher’s five mastheads.

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The company launched its first newspaper—a Mackay Life and Whitsunday Life flip-book—in 2020, with Burdekin Life and Hinchinbrook Life following in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Editor-in-Chief Rachael Smith accepted the LGAQ Journalism Award on behalf of the company before a crowd of 500 mayors, councillors and local government staff at the conference.

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Ms Smith, who oversees a team of six journalists, said the award was a proud moment for the company.

“It was an absolute honour to see the hard work of our journalists and broader team acknowledged for the incredible work they do across the regions,” she said.

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“Bringing the communities we serve positive news that connects and uplifts is something we are all dedicated to achieving each and every week, and I am beyond thrilled that this has been noticed, acknowledged and now awarded.”

The award was first launched in 2011 and recognises print, television and radio outlets for newsworthiness, incisiveness and the public benefit of content, as well as the understanding of the issues and challenges facing regional Queensland.

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The LGAQ established the award in honour of ABC cameraman John Bean, journalist Paul Lockyer and helicopter pilot Gary Ticehurst, who tragically died in a crash while on assignment in 2011.

They were a well-liked and deeply respected crew who spent much of their time working in regional areas. Their loss sparked an outpouring of grief from regional leaders who understood the enormous contribution they made to ensuring regional Queensland was given a voice and its contribution to public life was recognised.

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The LGAQ accolade adds to the six awards Life Publishing Group won at the Queensland Country Press Association (QCPA) Excellence Awards in March. These awards included Best Young Journalist of the Year award for Burdekin Life’s Jacob Casha and a silver award for Burdekin’s Chelsea Ravizza.