The West Australian’s Annabel Hennessy and Briana Fiore nominated in Walkley Awards

The West Australian’s Annabel Hennessy is in the running to go back-to-back in the prestigious Walkley Award for Best Young Reporter in Australia.

Hennessy has nominations in two categories in recognition of her exclusive story exposing the tragic death of Annaliesse Ugle.

The 11-year-old took her own life after her alleged rapist was given bail, sparking the McGowan Government to commit to fixing bail laws.

Hennessy has been nominated in the Best Shortform Journalism and Best Public Service Journalism categories.

Briana Fiore a former journalist for the Harvey-Waroona Reporter, is also in the hunt to win in the Community and Regional Affairs category for her series on Bunbury Hospital bungles for The West Australian and our regional paper the South Western Times.

• Bunbury Hospital: Shocking leaked report highlighted dysfunction months before death of new mum Melody Taripe
• Annaliesse Ugle: How housing insecurity and a lack of support contributed to 11-year-old girl’s despair
• Kill or Be Killed? Chapter One: The incarceration of Jody Gore

There are six sub-categories in the Walkley Young Journalist of the Year Award, with the overall winner chosen from the entire field.

Hennessy won the overall award last year for her history-making investigation of the incarceration of Aboriginal woman Jody Gore, who was convicted of killing her abusive former partner Damian Jones.

Hennessy revealed how Ms Gore said she had acted in self-defence after years of abuse — compelling WA Attorney-General John Quigley to invoke rarely used mercy laws to free Ms Gore from prison.

West Australian Newspapers Editor-in-Chief Anthony De Ceglie said Hennessy and Fiore were a testament to the bright future of so many of the company’s young journalists. He said their tenacity, hard work and passion meant this recognition was a sign of even bigger things to come.

Finalists are selected by a panel of journalists and the winners are to be announced on June 16.