The AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television, formerly AFI Award for Best Screenplay in Television, is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA).
History From 1986 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards).
When the award was first introduced, it was handed out as two awards: Mini-Series Screenplay and Telefeature Screenplay. The name was changed to Best Screenplay in a Mini-Series or Television Drama in 1990, and the following year it became Best Screenplay in a Television Drama until 2003 where the award was renamed to its current title.
When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current award being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Screenplay in Television. AACTA is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television".
Ceremony The award is presented at the annual AACTA Awards, which hand out accolades for achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films.
Winners and nominees In the following tables, the years listed correspond to the year of film release; the ceremonies are usually held the same year. The writer and programme in bold and in yellow background have won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the tables always lists the winning writer and programme first and then the other nominees. Note: User must select years listed on page to view winners of that decade/year.
Best Mini-Series Screenplay Year Program Writer(s) Network 1986(28th) The Dunera Boys Ben Lewin Network Ten 1987(29th) In Between Maureen McCarthy and Shane Brennan SBS The Challenge David Phillips Nine Network The Great Bookie Robbery Philip Cornford and Ian Bradley Nine Network Vietnam Terry Hayes, John Duigan and Chris Noonan Network Ten 1988(30th) Not awarded 1989(31st) Bodysurfer Suzanne Hawley, Christopher Lee and Denis Whitburn ABC Edens Lost Michael Gow ABC Act of Betrayal Michael Chaplin and Nick Evans ABC Barlow and Chambers: A Long Way From Home Bill Kerby Nine Network
Best Telefeature Screenplay Year Program Writer(s) Network 1986(28th) Natural Causes John Misto ABC 1987(29th) Two Friends Helen Garner ABC The Hour Before My Brother Dies Daniel Keene ABC Hunger Louis Nowra ABC Just Us Ted Roberts Seven Network 1988(30th) Not awarded 1989(31st) Police State Ian David and Francine Finnane ABC Malpractice Jenny Ainge Nine Network Rescue Everett De Roche ABC Prejudice Pamela Williams Nine Network
Best Screenplay in a Mini-Series or Television Drama Year Program Writer(s) Network 1990(32nd) The Magistrate Chris Warner ABC Come In Spinner Nick Enright and Lissa Benyon ABC The Girl from Tomorrow Mark Shirrefs and John Thomson Nine Network Police Crop Ian David ABC
Best Screenplay in a Television Drama Year Program Episode Writer(s) Network 1991(33rd) Police Rescue "Angel After Hours" Peter Schreck ABC Embassy "A Human Dimension" Anne Lucas ABC More Winners "The Big Wish" Steve J. Spears ABC The Paper Man Keith Aberdein and John Lonie ABC 1992(34th) Brides of Christ John Alsop and Sue Smith ABC Phoenix "Fond Memories" Cliff Green ABC Phoenix "Hard Ball" Alison Nisselle ABC Six Pack "Piccolo Mondo" Andrew Bovell SBS 1993(35th) The Leaving of Liverpool John Alsop and Sue Smith ABC Seven Deadly Sins "Sloth" Hannie Rayson ABC Round the Twist "Little Squirt" Paul Jennings and Esben Storm ABC Police Rescue "Lifeline" Debra Oswald ABC 1994(36th) The Damnation of Harvey McHugh "Hey, St Jude" John Misto ABC Under the Skin "The Long Ride" Tony Ayres SBS G.P. "Double Bind" Kristen Dunphy ABC Blue Heelers "Nowhere to Run" Susan Hore Seven Network 1995(37th) Frontline "The Siege" Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner ABC Halifax f.p. "Lies of the Mind" Jan Sardi Nine Network Halifax f.p. "The Feeding" Mac Gudgeon Nine Network Janus "Not on the Merits" Cliff Green ABC 1996(38th) Blue Murder Ian David ABC Frontline "Keeping Up Appearances" Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner ABC G.P. "Ceremony of Innocence" Katherine Thomson ABC 1997(39th) Frontline "The Simple Life" Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner ABC Frontline "Epitaph" Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner ABC Good Guys, Bad Guys "1.8 Million Reasons to Change Your Name Part 2" Graeme Koetsveld Nine Network Simone de Beauvoir's Babies "Episode 3" Deborah Cox ABC 1998(40th) Wildside "Episode 17" Tim Pye ABC Halifax f.p. "Afraid of the Dark" Roger Simpson Nine Network SeaChange "Stormy Weather" Deborah Cox ABC The Violent Earth Peter Gawler and Tony Ayres Nine Network 1999(41st) The Day of the Roses John Misto Network Ten SeaChange "Law and Order" Deborah Cox ABC SeaChange "Manna From Heaven" Deborah Cox and Andrew Knight ABC Wildside "Episode 19" Kris Wyld ABC 2000(42nd) Grass Roots "The Whole Year" Geoffrey Atherden ABC Grass Roots "Late July, Friday 4pm to 10.30pm" Geoffrey Atherden ABC Halifax f.p. "A Person of Interest" Anne Brooksbank Nine Network Something in the Air "We Will Remember Them" Katherine Thomson ABC 2001(43rd) The Games "Solar" John Clarke and Ross Stevenson ABC Changi John Doyle ABC SeaChange "I Name Thee Bay of Pearls" Deborah Cox and Andrew Knight ABC SeaChange "Love in the Time of Coleridge" Hannie Rayson and Andrea Denholm ABC 2002(44th) Kath & Kim "Wedding" Gina Riley and Jane Turner ABC Halifax f.p. "Takes Two" Katherine Thomson Nine Network Kath & Kim "Gay" Gina Riley and Jane Turner ABC The Secret Life of Us "Intimations of Mortality" Christopher Lee Network Ten
Best Screenplay in Television Year Program Episode Writer(s) Network 2003(45th) Grass Roots "By-Election" Geoffrey Atherden ABC After the Deluge Andrew Knight Network Ten CNNNN "Lunchgate" Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow and Charles Firth ABC MDA "Crossing the Line" Bill Garner ABC 2004(46th) Marking Time John Doyle ABC Kath & Kim "The Hideous Truth" Gina Riley and Jane Turner ABC Stingers "Break and Enter" Matt Ford Nine Network The Brush-Off John Clarke Seven Network 2005(47th) Love My Way "Only Mortal" Jacquelin Perske Fox8 MDA "A Human Cost (Part 4)" Greg Haddrick ABC The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Peter Berry Network Ten We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year "Episode 1" Chris Lilley ABC 2006(48th) RAN "Blue Hawaii" Sue Smith SBS Love My Way "Five Minutes of Fame" Jacquelin Perske W Mortified "Taylor's DNA" Angela Webber Nine Network The Chaser's War on Everything "Episode 8" Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel, Andrew Hansen, Chas Licciardello, Dominic Knight and Charles Firth ABC 2007(49th) Bastard Boys Sue Smith ABC Lockie Leonard "The Ladder of Love" Keith Thompson Nine Network Love My Way "Cars Without Brakes" Tony McNamara Showtime The Circuit "Home Is Where the Past Is" Kelly Lefever SBS 2008(50th) The Hollowmen "Fat Chance" Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob Sitch ABC1 Dogstar "Tail's End" Philip Dalkin Nine Network East West 101 "Death at the Station" Kris Wyld SBS Underbelly "Sorcerer's Apprentice" Peter Gawler Nine Network 2009(51st) Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities "The Brotherhood" Kris Mrksa Nine Network 30 Seconds "Invisible Fault Lines" Tim Bullock, Justin Drape and Scott Nowell The Comedy Channel East West 101 "Atonement" Michael Miller and Kristen Dunphy SBS Review with Myles Barlow "Episode 1" Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd ABC 2010(52nd) Wilfred "Dog Star" Jason Gann and Adam Zwar SBS Hawke Glen Dolman Network Ten Review with Myles Barlow "Happiness, Escapism, Acceptance" Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd ABC Tangle "Sleepwalking" Fiona Seres Showcase
AACTA Awards
Year Program Episode Writer(s) Network 2011(1st) The Slap "Harry" Brendan Cowell ABC1 Cloudstreet "Part 3" Tim Winton and Ellen Fontana Showcase Laid "Episode 3" Kirsty Fisher ABC1 The Slap "Hector" Kris Mrksa ABC1 2012(2nd) Redfern Now "Pretty Boy Blue" Steven McGregor ABC1 A Moody Christmas "Water Under the Bridge" Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd ABC1 Lowdown "One Fine Gay" Amanda Brotchie, Adam Zwar and Trudy Hellier ABC1 Puberty Blues "Episode 5" Alice Bell and Tony McNamara Network Ten 2013(3rd) Offspring "Episode 13" Debra Oswald Network Ten Upper Middle Bogan "No Angel" Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope, and Gary McCaffrie ABC1 Redfern Now "Babe in Arms" Steven McGregor ABC1 Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War "Part One" Samantha Winston Nine Network
References
External links Official website of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts