18 September 2012

Justice_book_coverMEDIA STATEMENT

History of Aboriginal Legal Service awarded
Premier’s Prize in Book Awards

18thSeptember 2012

 

“Justice – A History of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia” has been awarded the $25,000 Premier’s Prize during last night’s Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards in Perth.

Accepting the Award from WA Premier Colin Barnett was “Justice” author Fiona Skyring, with the book also named as the winner in the State Library of Western Australia WA History category.

596 entries were received nationally and judges praised the book as an “elegantly written, painstakingly researched and profoundly relevant publication” and a “must read” for all West Australians.

Dennis Eggington, ALSWA’s CEO since 1996, attended the awards ceremony and said that the “Justice” book was an important addition to Western Australia’s history. “I am extremely proud that the forty year history of the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA (ALSWA) has been acknowledged and recognised and that our contributions to this state’s justice system will now reach a wider audience. This book has been a dream of mine for a long time and it is a wonderful legacy not only for our Aboriginal communities, but the wider community also”.

Mr. Eggington said that the organisation is indebted to all who have contributed to the “Justice” book and to it’s author Fiona Skyring for her assistance in making this dream become a reality. There are so many people who have played an important role over those years and this is testament to their commitment and dedication in striving for justice and advancing the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples”

In presenting the Award, the Premier said that the book made a significant contribution to understanding the changes in criminal justice and policing, and to attitudes about racial discrimination and land rights that had occurred in recent times in WA.

“Justice – A History of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia” was officially launched in February this year and is published through UWA Publishing.

ALSWA Media Enquiries to ALSWA Media Officer Jodi Hoffmann on 0428 948 610

BlurtonChaneySkyringEggington_Premiers_Book_Awards

Michael Blurton, Fred Chaney,
Fiona Skyring & Dennis Eggington

Premier_and_winners_group

Premier Barnett with the winners of the
Premier’s awards

Image by: Alf Sorbello Photolation

Skyring_Eggington_and_Awards

Fiona Skyring and ALSWA CEO, Dennis Eggington

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Justice history Book Cover

More information about the Awards can be found at http://pba.slwa.wa.gov.au/