Adele FergusonInvestigative Journalist
Recognition

Awards &
Recognition

Nearly three decades of award-winning journalism — from the first Quill commendation in 1997 to the 50th Graham Perkin Award in 2026. Every major prize, in full.

See the Investigations
Pinnacle Gold

Gold Award Wins

The rarest prizes in Australian and international journalism — won six times across three categories.

2× Won

Gold Walkley

Australia's highest journalism honour

2014

Banking Bad

Four Corners · Nine Publications

2025

Betrayal of Trust

Four Corners · ABC 7.30

Read the investigations
2× Won

Gold Quill

International journalism excellence

2014

Banking Bad

Four Corners · Nine Publications

2015

7-Eleven Investigation

Fairfax · Four Corners

Read the investigations
2× Won

Gold Kennedy

Outstanding investigative journalism

2014

Banking Bad

Four Corners · Nine Publications

2016

7-Eleven Investigation

Fairfax · Four Corners

Read the investigations

2× Gold Walkley

2014, 2025

2× Gold Quill

2014, 2015

2× Gold Kennedy

2014, 2016

Six gold prizes across three categories — a record unmatched in Australian journalism.

Pinnacle Honours

The highest individual awards in Australian journalism

2× Gold Walkley

Australia's highest journalism honour

2014 & 2025

2× Graham Perkin Award

Australian Journalist of the Year

2015 & 2026

2× Gold Quill

International journalism excellence

2014 & 2015

2× Gold Kennedy

Outstanding investigative journalism

2014 & 2016

Order of Australia AM

Significant service to media

2019
2026 Awards

What the Judges Said

Graham Perkin Award

2026

Just Announced
“Journalism at its finest — doggedly pursued over many months, revelatory and with impact.”

Investigation

Betrayal of Trust — ABC Four Corners & 7.30

Melbourne Press Club

Grant Hattam Quill — Investigative Journalism

2026

“Clearly the most impactful, disturbing and important investigation of 2025. Unflinching work and truly great investigative journalism.”

Investigation

Betrayal of Trust — ABC Four Corners & 7.30

Melbourne Press Club · 31st Quills

Best Business Reporting Quill

2026

“Will send a chill down the spine of any parent. Journalism with impact — profoundly important.”

Investigation

Affinity Exposed — ABC 7.30

Melbourne Press Club · 31st Quills
Full Archive

Award Timeline

78 awards across 24 years · 1997 – 2026

2026
Perkin Award

Graham Perkin Award — Australian Journalist of the Year (50th)

Adele Ferguson wins the 50th Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year award — her second Perkin, making her only the fourth journalist to win it more than once. Judges cited her childcare investigation as "journalism at its finest… doggedly pursued over many months, revelatory and with impact."

Quill Award

Grant Hattam Quill — Investigative Journalism

Grant Hattam Quill for Investigative Journalism for "Betrayal of Trust" — ABC Four Corners and 7.30. Judges called it "clearly the most impactful, disturbing and important investigation of 2025… unflinching work and truly great investigative journalism."

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Reporting

Best Business Reporting Quill for "Affinity Exposed" — ABC 7.30. Judges said the investigation "will send a chill down the spine of any parent" and praised it as "journalism with impact" that is "profoundly important."

2025
Gold Walkley

Gold Walkley Award

Adele Ferguson and Chris Gillett won the 2025 Gold Walkley — Australian journalism's highest honour — for their multi-platform investigation into systemic failures in childcare.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — TV/Video: Current Affairs Short

Walkley Award for TV/Video: Current Affairs Short for the childcare investigation series across 7.30, Four Corners and ABC online.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — All Media: Investigative Journalism

Walkley Award for All Media: Investigative Journalism for the multi-platform childcare investigation.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — TV/Video: Current Affairs Long

Walkley Award for TV/Video: Current Affairs Long for the childcare investigation series.

Logie

Logie Award — Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report

Logie Award — Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report for investigative journalism on ABC.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Consumer Affairs

Kennedy Award for Outstanding Consumer Affairs for Betrayal of Trust — Four Corners, ABC.

Quill Award

Quill Award — TV/Video Feature

Quill Award for TV/Video Feature for Pain Factory. Judges cited the investigation as "harrowing, heartbreaking and riveting" with significant impact including the Federal Health Minister ordering an urgent review.

2024
Other Award

Honorary Doctorate — University of Adelaide

Adele Ferguson receives her Honorary Doctorate from the University of Adelaide outside Bonython Hall.

2023
National Press Club

National Press Club — Health Journalists of the Year

National Press Club Journalist of the Year 2023 Health Journalism Awards.

2022
Quill Award

Quill Award — Business News/Feature

2022 Quill Award Business News/Feature.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — TV Long Form

2022 Walkley Award for Television/Video Current Affairs Long.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Consumer Affairs Reporting

Kennedy Award for Outstanding Consumer Affairs Reporting for Cosmetic Cowboys — uncovering dangerous practices in the multi-billion-dollar cosmetic surgery industry.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Investigative Reporting

Kennedy Award for Outstanding Investigative Reporting — ABC Four Corners & Nine Publications 2022.

Other Award

Citi Journalism Award for Excellence

Chris Gillett, Adele Ferguson & Deborah Snow winners of the Broadcast Media category for their investigation into an Indigenous community's missing funds, aired on the ABC.

2021
Quill Award

Quill Award — Best TV/Video Feature

2021 Quill Award Best TV/Video Feature.

2020
Other Award

Davitt Awards — Best Non-Fiction

Banking Bad by Adele Ferguson won the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Non-Fiction Book — described as reading "like a frightening thriller" with "deep research and thorough knowledge about mass financial crimes in Australia."

2019
Other Award

Global Management Accounting Hall of Fame

Inducted into the ICMA Global Accounting and Management Accounting Hall of Fame for her role in bringing about the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

Order of Australia

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

Awarded Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to the print and broadcast media as a journalist and business commentator.

2018
Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2018 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

National Press Club

National Press Club — Global and Economic Reporting Award

National Press Club Awards: 2018 Global and Economic Reporting Award.

Other Award

Eureka's Children Democracy Award

Eureka's Children Democracy Award for journalism in the public interest.

Other Award

Fairfax Women of Influence Awards

Fairfax Women of Influence Awards recognition.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Finance Reporting

2018 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Finance Reporting.

2017
Walkley Award

Walkley Award — Best Business Journalism

2017 Walkley Award for Best Business Journalism.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — Best Investigative Journalism

2017 Walkley Award for Best Investigative Journalism.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Investigative Journalism

2017 Quill Award for Investigative Journalism.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2017 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

National Press Club

National Press Club — Financial Journalism Award

National Press Club Excellence in Financial Journalism Award 2017.

2016
Gold Kennedy

Gold Kennedy Award

Gold Kennedy Award for outstanding investigative journalism in the public interest.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — Best Investigative Journalism

2016 Walkley Award for Best Investigative Journalism.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2016 Walkley Award for Best Business Story in Any Medium.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2016 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best TV Video Feature Long Form

2016 Quill Award Best TV Video Feature Long Form.

National Press Club

National Press Club — Consumer Finance Award

National Press Club Award for Personal and Consumer Finance News.

National Press Club

National Press Club — Business News Award

National Press Club Business News Award 2016.

National Press Club

National Press Club — Financial Journalism Award

National Press Club Excellence in Financial Journalism Award 2016.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Investigative Reporting

2016 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Investigative Reporting.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Finance Reporting

2016 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Finance Reporting.

2015
Perkin Award

Graham Perkin Award — Australian Journalist of the Year

The Graham Perkin Award for Australian Journalist of the Year — the most prestigious individual journalism award in Australia.

Gold Quill

Gold Quill Award

Gold Quill Award for international excellence in journalism.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2015 Walkley Award for Best Business Story in Any Medium.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2015 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Use of Digital or Social Media

2015 Quill Award for Best Use of Digital or Social Media.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Finance Reporting

2015 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Finance Reporting.

Other Award

AFR Boss: True Leaders

AFR Boss True Leaders recognition 2015.

Other Award

Legal Reporting Awards

Legal Practitioners Award for Legal Reporting 2015.

Other Award

Migration Institute Award

Migration Institute of Australia Award for journalism 2015.

2014
Gold Walkley

Gold Walkley Award

Gold Walkley Award for the Banking Bad investigation — exposing systemic misconduct in Australia's financial sector and triggering the Banking Royal Commission.

Gold Quill

Gold Quill Award

Gold Quill Award for international recognition of excellence in business and investigative journalism.

Gold Kennedy

Gold Kennedy Award

Gold Kennedy Award for outstanding investigative journalism.

Logie

Logie Award — Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report

Logie Award — Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report for investigative journalism on ABC.

Walkley Award

Walkley Award — TV Current Affairs

2014 Walkley Award for TV/AV Weekly Current Affairs.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2014 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Finance Reporting

2014 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Finance Reporting.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Investigative Reporting

2014 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Investigative Reporting.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Television Current Affairs

2014 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Television Current Affairs Reporting.

2013
Walkley Award

Walkley Award — Best Business Story In Any Medium

2013 Walkley Award for Best Business Story In Any Medium.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2013 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Columnist

2013 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Columnist.

Kennedy Award

Kennedy Award — Outstanding Finance Reporting

2013 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Finance Reporting.

2011
Walkley Award

Walkley Award — High Commendation for Best Columnist

2011 Walkley Award High Commendation for Best Columnist.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2011 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

2010
Walkley Award

Walkley Award Finalist — Best Business Story

2010 Walkley Award Finalist for Best Business Story.

Quill Award

Quill Award — High Commendation Best Columnist

2010 Quill Award High Commendation for Best Columnist.

2008
Walkley Award

Walkley Award Finalist — Best Business Story

2008 Walkley Award Finalist for Best Business Story.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Columnist

2008 Quill Award for Best Columnist.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2008 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

2007
Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2007 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

2005
Walkley Award

Walkley Award Finalist — Best Business Story

2005 Walkley Award Finalist for Best Business Story.

Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2005 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

2003
Quill Award

Quill Award — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2003 Quill Award Best Business Story in Any Medium.

2001
Quill Award

Quill High Commendation — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2001 Quill High Commendation for Best Business Story in Any Medium.

2000
Quill Award

Quill High Commendation — Best Business Story in Any Medium

2000 Quill High Commendation for Best Business Story in Any Medium.

1999
Quill Award

Quill High Commendation — Best Business Story in Any Medium

1999 Quill High Commendation for Best Business Story in Any Medium.

1997
Quill Award

Quill High Commendation — Best Business Story in Any Medium

1997 Quill High Commendation for Best Business Story in Any Medium.