The Australian Council of Super Investors is pleased to announce Sydney Morning Herald journalist Stuart Washington as winner of the ACSI Media Award for 2011.

Stuart was presented with the award in front of 200 delegates during the ACSI Annual Conference held at the Sofitel On Collins in Melbourne yesterday and won the award for his investigative series on Trio Capital.

The series of articles published during 2010 exposed the individual wrongdoers but also the weaknesses in the system that are meant to protect Australian superannuation investors. The exposure of Trio Capital took considerable journalistic skills and effort as it relied on intensive examinations of company registries in three countries (Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore), interviews with multiple sources and extensive legwork. The research also resulted in the exposure of another questionable figure in control on the Oz Group businesses that were involved in the management of $540 million in Australian superannuation.

What is ACSI Media Award? 

The ACSI Media Award was established to encourage a broader and more effective coverage on environmental, social and corporate governance related issues within the Australia media and to acknowledge excellence in Australian journalism.

Where is the ACSI Media Award presented?

The winner of this award will be announced and presented on Thursday 26 May in front of over 200 delegates at the ACSI 2011 Annual Conference being held at the Sofitel Melbourne On Collins. Each year ACSI’s Annual Conference brings together our member funds along with ASX100 board members, investment managers and academics to discuss the management of ESG risk. More than 70% of the audience is made up of Trustees and staff from industry superannuation funds.

What does ‘corporate governance’ mean to ACSI?

Corporate governance is the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in corporations.

It encompasses the mechanisms by which companies and those in control are held to account. Corporate governance influences how the objectives of the company are set and achieved, how risk is monitored and assessed and how performance is optimised.

Nominee eligibility

Submissions for this award are open to journalists working within the Australian print, broadcasting, radio and online mediums and the winning submission will have contributed to an increased understanding of corporate governance by the public, institutional investors and business community and have explained or examined the related legal frameworks and/or business trends.

Eligible submissions

The 2011 Media Award submissions will be for work produced within the twelve month period between:

1 March 2010 – 28 February 2011. 

Submission criteria 

 All nominees must:

• complete the ACSI 2011 Media Award Nomination Form
• submit only their original work
• provide an explanation of each of the parties level of involvement if the entry is a joint submission
• provide a maximum number of 2 nomination entries permitted per individual
• if the entry consists of multiple pieces/a series - it must not exceed a maximum of 5 pieces
• provide a brief summary of no more than 300 words on how their entry has satisfied the objective and selection criteria
• provide 6 copies of each entry
• if a print submission, the entry must be provided in the following two formats:

1. a colour original or photocopy of the newspaper page the article appeared within; and

2. a plain text version in 12 point font and 1.5 line spacing.

Nomination entry period

Entries open: 1 February 2011

Entries close @ 4.00pm on 7 March 2011

Nomination Form

A copy of the ACSI Media Award Nomination Form can be downloaded here

The prize

The award winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000.

The winner of this award will also be invited to join the ACSI Media Award Judging Panel for the following year.

The judging panel

The winning submission is selected by a panel of superannuation and media experts. 

 The 2011 judging panel will consist of:

• Ann Byrne - CEO, ACSI
• Gerard Noonan - Chairman, MediaSuper & AIST 
• Dean Paatsch – Governance Adviser
• Adele Ferguson - Journalist, SMH & The Age (joint 2009 winner)

Frequently asked questions

Are there conditions of entry?
All work must have been published in an Australian media outlet between 1 March 2010 – 28 February 2011.

Is there a cost to enter?
No.

What do I need to include with my entry?
A copy of the nomination form detailing all submission criteria can be found here

Do I need to have the entry form authorised?
No, in the event that your entry becomes a finalist, ACSI may contact you or your employer or employer representative to validate the work.

Can I nominate someone for the award?
This is a self-nominating process. However, if you know of a journalist/s who has produced relevant media within the stated timeframe then please notify ACSI via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  ACSI will then contact the journalist and advise them about the nomination process.

How many entries can I submit?

The number of entries accepted from any individual journalist is limited to two.

Can I submit a series on the same topic?

Yes, however the maximum number of pieces submitted as one entry is 5 pieces.

Are joint entries permissible?

Yes, joint entries are permitted however an explanation of each party’s s level of involvement must be clarified. If a joint entry is the award recipient the cash prize will be shared evenly.

What is the judging criteria?

Award winner/s will be chosen on the basis that the work will have broadened the understanding of the public, institutional investors and the business community about corporate governance and will have explained or examined related legal frameworks and/or business trends.

Will entries be returned?

Please keep copies of all material submitted. Entries will not be returned.

How are finalists notified?

1st, 2nd and 3rd place finalists will be contacted prior the award ceremony and will be invited to attend the ceremony.  Where applicable, ACSI will cover the cost of an economy class return airfare. However, there will only be one prize-winner who will be announced at the award ceremony.

2nd and 3rd place entrants will be awarded with a gift at the ceremony.

Who was the recipient of the last ACSI Media Award?

The Australian Council of Super Investors is pleased to announce Sydney Morning Herald journalist Stuart Washington as winner of the ACSI Media Award for 2011.Stuart was presented with the award in front of 200 delegates during the ACSI Annual Conference held at the Sofitel On Collins in Melbourne yesterday and won the award for his investigative series on Trio Capital.

The series of articles published during 2010 exposed the individual wrongdoers but also the weaknesses in the system that are meant to protect Australian superannuation investors. The exposure of Trio Capital took considerable journalistic skills and effort as it relied on intensive examinations of company registries in three countries (Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore), interviews with multiple sources and extensive legwork. The research also resulted in the exposure of another questionable figure in control on the Oz Group businesses that were involved in the management of $540 million in Australian superannuation.