The winner of Australia’s richest prize for literature had a blunt message for the powers that bestowed it on her.
A memoir by Gunai/Kurnai woman, Veronica Gorrie’s about her time in the police force has won Australia’s most valuable literary award, the $100,000 Victorian Prize for Literature.
The book also won the $25,000 Prize for Indigenous Writing.
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilience is the true account of Ms Gorrie’s ten years as a Queensland police officer.
During that time she witnessed “appalling institutional racism and sexism”, which she battled with to help those in need.
The book explores the impact of racism on Ms Gorrie and her three children, as well as the impact of intergenerational trauma resulting from cultural dispossession.
At an awards event on Thursday, Ms Gorrie delivered a blunt message to the authority that bestowed it on her.
“I find it ironic that the Victorian State Government are awarding me, considering they were the ones that committed past atrocities on my ancestors,” Ms Gorrie said.
“I forgive you.”
Ms Gorrie went on to say she was honoured and humbled to be nominated for the awards and thanked her publisher, Scribe Publications.
“I’m so grateful that my book has done so well and has raised some talking topics in relation to my people,” she said.
“Especially deaths in custody and the way police are f***ing killing us.”
Ms Gorrie also took the opportunity to urge the Justice Minister to raise the age of criminal responsibility.
“No child should be locked up,” she said, “It breaks my heart to know there’s kids as young as ten caged up right now and without their family.”
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Award was established by the Victorian Government in 1985 to promote Australian writing and are run by the Wheeler Centre.
Wife of Premier Daniel Andrews, Catherine, announced the winner of the main prize and reiterated the importance of literature to society.
“It’s a recognition by the Victorian Government that literary excellence is something that we as a community and as a state, deeply respect, value and treasure,” Ms Andrews said.
“It’s also a recognition that creativity, thinking and writing must continue to be supported and encouraged if we want it to grow and flourish in the years ahead.”
Originally published as Harrowing memoir of Indigenous police officer wins top literary prize
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