Elizabeth O’Neill Journalism Award
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, has announced the opening of applications for the 2019 Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award.

The Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award commemorates the distinguished career of Elizabeth O'Neill OAM who died in service of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Indonesia on 7 March 2007. The Award builds on her tireless work to foster mutual understanding of Australia and Indonesia through accurate and informed media coverage.

The Elizabeth O'Neill Journalism Award is awarded to one journalist from Indonesia and one journalist from Australia each year. The Award is open to high-achieving journalists from print, radio, television and online media organisations at any stage of their career.

Program

Award recipients spend up to two weeks in Indonesia/Australia on a fully funded program coordinated by the Australia-Indonesia Institute and the Public Diplomacy Branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and supported by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. Programs for successful candidates are developed to build a stronger understanding and appreciation of the broad range of issues facing contemporary Indonesia and Australia.

Programs are tailored to the journalist's area of expertise and reporting responsibilities in such areas as foreign and trade policy, development assistance, people-to-people links and education and include a stay in the country's capital city (Jakarta/Canberra) with visits to at least one other province/state/territory of the country visited.

During a typical program, meetings may include:

• local media organisations, both commercial and government-owned
• a reciprocal visit to the employer of the host country participant
• academic institutions, including those with specialist journalism and communications courses
• media industry regulators and umbrella organisations
• government and parliamentary officials and access to ministers (where possible), and
• leading civil society and NGO figures.

Award conditions

The Award covers:

• business class international airfares and domestic transfers from the participant's home city;
  accommodation, internal transport, vaccinations, visas, travel insurance and meal allowances.
• The award does not cover the cost of travel for dependents, translators, a camera-person or other technical support people; additional baggage or other airline offerings. Successful applicants must have an up-to-date passport with at least six month's validity from date of departure.

Application information

Two Awards are made: one to an Indonesia journalist and one to an Australian journalist. Applicants must be Australian citizens resident in Australia or Indonesian citizens resident in Indonesia.

Indonesian applicants are required to complete the below on-line application form:

Indonesian Participant Application Form [PDF 466 KB]
Indonesian Participant Application Form [Word 41 KB]

Australian applicants are required to send the following three application documents to ausindonesia.institute@dfat.gov.au:

• A personal statement addressing the following Selection Criteria (two pages maximum)
• The applicant's professional suitability, highlighting two areas of interest or expertise;
• The applicant's audience reach and level of influence;
• A commitment to build/maintain relationships with Indonesia during and after the program.
• A reference letter (preferably from your current employer).
• An up to date copy of your CV (two pages maximum), along with a colour passport photo.

Selection panels in Canberra and Jakarta will choose the successful Australian and Indonesian participants. The panels will comprise representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australia-Indonesia Institute.

All applications are due by 5:00pm AEDT on 8 February 2019.

Evaluation

On completion of the Award program, participants will be invited to an interview to provide feedback to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade /Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

For more information: https://dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/foundations-councils-institutes/australia-indonesia-institute/news/Pages/elizabeth-oneill-journalism-award.aspx