https://bestaustralianyarn.com.au/
Everyone has a story to tell. Share yours in the world's richest short story competition for published and unpublished writers. It doesn't have to be long - just 1000 to 2500 words. Now richer than ever, there is a $75,000 cash prize pool to be won, including a $50,000 grand prize, and anyone over the age of 12 can enter. Entries close August 1, 2023. To enter, click here.
Short stories have the power to transport us to another world, they educate and entertain us, and can make the everyday seem extraordinary.
The West Australian and Navitas present The Best Australian Yarn, a search for Australia’s best short story. It is a celebration of creative writing and the arts across Australia.
Everyone has a story to tell, and now we are calling on Australians everywhere to put pen to paper and take part in the world’s richest short story competition for published and unpublished writers.
Your story doesn’t have to be long, just 1000 - 2500 words.
Anyone can enter - published and unpublished writers, students, anyone over the age of 12.
There is a prize pool of $75,000 to be won across a range of categories:
OVERALL WINNER $50,000
RUNNER UP $3,000
THE NAVITAS ESL PRIZE $3,000
THE FIRST NATIONS STORYTELLING PRIZE $3,000
REGIONAL AUSTRALIA WINNER $3,000
GENWEST YOUTH WINNER (12-14) $1,500
GENWEST YOUTH WINNER (15-18) $1,500
READERS CHOICE $2,000
EIGHT SHORTLISTED FINALISTS $1,000 EA
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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“Best Australian Yarn” competition
Terms and Conditions
By entering the “Best Australian Yarn” competition (Competition), you are agreeing to the following terms
and conditions:
1. STANDARD TERMS
1.1 Information on how to enter forms part of the terms of entry.
1.2 To the extent of any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and any other
reference to the Competition, these Terms and Conditions prevail.
2. WHO CAN ENTER?
2.1 Subject to clause 2.2, entry to the Competition is available to any individual residing in
Australia and is aged 12 years or above at the time of the Competition's closing date. If a
prize winner is aged under 18, West Australian Newspapers reserve the right to liaise with
the parent/legal guardian in relation to the prize in its absolute discretion.
2.2 Employees (and any Immediate Family Member of an employee) of Seven Network
(Operations) Limited (Channel 7), West Australian Newspapers Ltd (West Australian
Newspapers), Navitas Pty Limited (ABN 69 109 613 309), Perth Festival, Department of
Education WA, Writing WA Incorporated, prize suppliers, third party contributors and
their respective associated agencies and companies are not eligible to enter.
2.3 In this clause 2, a reference to an “Immediate Family Member” includes a spouse, defacto
spouse, parent, natural or adopted child or sibling.
2.4 To be eligible for the Navitas ESL Prize, the entrant must speak a language other than
English at home. The Navitas ESL Prize is designed to encourage writers for whom English
isn’t their first language to express themselves in written form. (“ESL Entrant”).
2.5 To be eligible for the First Nations Storytelling Prize, the entrant must be of Aboriginal or
Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
and have been accepted as such by the community in which you live, or formerly lived.
(“First Nations Entrant”.)
2.6 To be eligible for the Regional Prize, an entrant must be an ordinarily resident in Australia
and the entrant’s home address must not be within a location classified as MM1 (major
cities) in the Modified Monash Model. You can search locations here (“Regional Entrant”).
2.7 To be eligible for the GenWest Youth Prizes, an entrant must be aged between 12 and 18
years at the time their entry is submitted to the Competition. (“Youth Entrant”).
2.8 Western Australian Newspapers requires the consent of the parent/legal guardian of an
entrant under the age of 18 to enter into this Competition and also as a condition of
winning a prize. Failure to provide this consent may lead to the entry being disqualified.
For these Terms and Conditions "Youth Entrant", "entrant", "entrants" or "prize winner"
will also include that person's parent/legal guardian where such consent is required.
3. HOW TO ENTER
3.1 The Competition commences on Saturday, 29 April 2023 at 08:00am AWST and concludes
on Tuesday, 1 August 2023 08:00pm AWST (“Competition Period”).
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3.2 Entries must be uploaded, or as otherwise directed, within the Competition Period via the
following link –
www.bestaustralianyarn.com.au.
3.3 Entries must be:
3.3.1 a single story of no less than 1000 words, and no more than 2500 words;
3.3.2 an original, independent work of fiction;
3.3.3 written by an individual Australian resident;
3.3.4 written in English;
3.3.5 free from any claims, including copyright or trademark claims, by other parties;
3.3.6 unpublished. Appearance online, such as on a blog or in an anthology,
constitutes prior publication;
3.3.7 not submitted for publication or broadcast elsewhere or entered into any other
competition until the longlisted entrants have been determined, expected to
be by the end of November 2023. If an entrant is not a longlisted entrant, they
are then free to submit their entry elsewhere.
3.3.8 not submitted previously for The Best Australian Yarn Competition.
3.4 All entries must follow the online registration and submission process.
3.5 To preserve anonymity and the blind judging process, uploaded entries must only contain
the title of the entry - any other personal identification (e.g. entrant’s name) relating to
the entrant must not appear on the manuscript, including in the header or footer.
3.6 No more than one entry per entrant may be submitted. It is the responsibility of the
writer to make sure that no more than one of their stories is submitted in total.
3.7 The entrant warrants that the entry is suitable for publication by West Australian
Newspapers in any media it deems appropriate, including digital or print.
3.8 Entrants warrant that their prize submission is original, entirely their own work, does not
infringe any existing copyright, moral rights or any other rights of any third party and
contains nothing obscene, libellous, unlawful, defamatory or anything which West
Australian Newspapers may otherwise deem to be inappropriate.
3.9 By submitting an entry, longlisted entrants, finalists and winners agree to make
themselves available for public relations activities at a reasonable request wherever
possible. In the event of winning, the winner must undertake a mutually acceptable
limited program of activities. Any publisher or agent who submits an entry on behalf of an
entrant shall be responsible for ensuring any further activity is agreed to by the entrant. If
an entrant, finalist or winner is uncomfortable with media or public relations activities,
the Promoter can discuss with them to find an alternative arrangement.
3.10 Longlisted entrants, finalists and winners agree to give an interview that may be
recorded, and/or assist in the production of a follow up article in each case that may be
published and made available to the public by The West Australian, or any website
associated with it or its affiliates, or any other medium at West Australian Newspapers’
sole discretion. In the event that an interview or article is made about an entrant, this
does not mean that the entrant is entitled to an award or prize. As per clause 3.9, above,
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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if an entrant or winner is uncomfortable with media or public relations activities, the
Promoter can discuss with them to find an alternative arrangement.
3.11 The entrant’s name, biography and image may be used in marketing and publicity
materials and any announcements, publications and communication relating to the
Competition winners.
3.12 In all matters relating to conditions of entry, the decision of the Promote of the
Competition (see clause 7) is final.
3.13 Any entries considered to be of an offensive nature may be rejected by West Australian
Newspapers, in its absolute discretion.
3.14 In all matters relating to judging of the Competition, the decision of the judges is final and
no correspondence will be entered into.
3.15 The judges will not be required to make an award if they do not consider the entries to be
of a sufficient standard.
3.16 Only longlisted entrants will be notified. A longlisted entrant is one who is still in
contention for the Prizes as the judging moves into the Prize Jury judging round. All
longlisted entrants will be contacted by November, 2023, via their entry details when
they submit their entry.
3.17 Entries must include all requested contact details to be eligible to win.
3.18 Neither West Australian Newspapers nor any prize suppliers are responsible for any data
or other information related to this Competition that may be lost, or damaged as a result
of any computer software or hardware malfunction. Any issues occurring as a result of
computer / server / software problems will be rectified as quickly as possible.
3.19 Entrants may only enter in their own name.
3.20 Subject to clause 3.24, below, incomprehensible, illegible, and incomplete entries will be
deemed invalid.
3.21 Subject to clause 3.24, below, entry details and entries remain the property of West
Australian Newspapers and will not be returned to the entrant.
3.22 Entries are submitted unencumbered and unrestricted, with full first publication rights
available to West Australian Newspapers and/or its nominated publisher.
3.23 Entrants must comply with Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property protocols used in
the arts sector, such as the Protocols For Using First Nations Cultural And Intellectual
Property In The Arts (published by the Australia Council for the Arts and accessible online
here -
https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/protocols-and-resources/protocols-for-using-first-nations-cultural-and-intellectual-property-in-the-
arts/). The Competition reserves the right not to publish or use work in a way that is
considered degrading or offensive by the Indigenous community.
3.23.1 West Australian Newspapers will adhere to the Australia Council for the
Arts ICIP protocols in regard to entrants and the winner of the First Nations
Storytelling Prize. (“First Nations Entrant”)
3.24 Copyright remains with the entrant.
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3.25 by submitting an entry, all Competition entrants agree that if their entry is deemed a
longlist entrant, finalist and/or winner, they will grant West Australian Newspapers a 8-
month exclusive licence (exclusive from 29 April, 2023 – 31 December, 2023) and a
subsequent 4-month non-exclusive license (from 1 January, 2024 – 24 April, 2024) to use,
distribute, broadcast and sub-licence the entry in any way whatsoever in connection with
the Competition including but not limited to, public performance, public display,
publishing, reproduction, communication to the public, transmission and distribution of
the entry or any part of the entry on and through the websites
www.thewest.com.au,
www.navitas.com or any website, app or other digital product associated with them,
and/or any newspaper or other publication published or owned by West Australian
Newspapers or its partners or affiliates in its different present and future forms, talking
book, podcast, e-paper, electronic media or website, including mobile form or any other
facsimile or derivative versions in any medium and acknowledge that they will not be
entitled to any fee for such use and the entrant or their agents will clear the necessary
rights for such publication and distribution;
3.26 by submitting an entry, entrants of all winning or runner-up entries agree to ensure that
in the event that any winning or runner-up entry is published, including in any anthology
publications, it will carry approved credits if requested to do so and provided all materials
bearing such approved credits, logos or trademarks are pre-approved by West Australian
Newspapers;
3.27 all stories submitted to the Competition will be considered for publication by The West
Australian. In submitting their stories for publication, authors indicate their consent to
these initiatives; if an author’s story is published in The West Australian newspaper or one
of its lift-outs, like STM magazine, the author will receive an honorarium fee of $200 in
addition to any prize monies they might receive. By publishing a story in The West
Australian or any of its affiliate publications, it does not mean that the entrant is entitled
to an award or prize.
3.28 entrants consent to their name, biography and image being used in marketing and
publicity materials. West Australian Newspapers will always credit the author of the work
when reproducing the work (except during the judging process) and will not make any
changes to the work without first seeking the prior written consent of the author. West
Australian Newspapers will also seek to receive prior consent and approval of the author
for any custom illustrations or artwork created to appear alongside their entry.
4. PRIZES
4.1 There will be sixteen prizes awarded to winners judged on the skill, creativity and
originality of entrants’ writing, who will each win a cash prize, depending on what
category of the Competition/s they win. The cash prizes are as follows:
4.1.1 First prize winner - $50,000
4.1.2 Runner-up / second place - $3,000
4.1.3 8 x shortlist winners (excluding the First Prize and runner-up) - $1,000 each
4.1.4 Regional winner - $3,000 (“Regional Prize”). The Regional Prize winner will be
selected from all entries from Regional Entrants. In the event a Regional
Entrant is awarded a prize from any other category they remain eligible to also
win the Regional Prize.
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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4.1.5 The Navitas ESL Prize - $3,000 (“ESL Prize”). The Navitas ESL Prize winner will
be selected from all entries from Navitas ESL Entrants. In the event a Navitas
ESL Entrant is awarded a prize from any other category they remain eligible to
also win the Navitas ESL Prize.
4.1.6 The First Nations Storytelling Prize - $3,000. (“First Nations Prize”). The First
Nations Storytelling Prize winner will be selected from all entries from First
Nations Storytelling Entrants. In the event a First Nations Storytelling Entrant is
awarded a prize from any other category they remain eligible to also win the
First Nations Storytelling Prize.
4.1.7 GenWest Youth Prize winners - $3,000 ($1,500 each) (“Youth Prize”). The
Youth Prize winners will be selected from all entries from Youth Entrants.
There will be two categories (12-14 year olds and 15-18 years) and one winner
from each category. In the event a Youth Entrant is awarded a prize from any
other category they remain eligible to also win the Youth Prize.
4.1.8 Readers’ choice winner - $2,000 (“Readers’ Choice Prize”). The Readers’ Choice
Prize winner will be selected by readers, from a curated list of entries via an
online voting poll. Online voting will open at a time and date to be confirmed
and close at the end of the Competition Period.
4.2 The total prize pool value is (up to) AUD$75,000. Prize value is correct as at the date of
printing. West Australian Newspapers accepts no responsibility for the change in prize
value between now and the ultimate date on which the prize is taken.
4.3 The prize must be taken by 20 February, 2024. In the event a winner does not take the
prize by the time stipulated, then the entire prize will be forfeited by the winner.
4.4 In the event that an element of the prize outlined in Clause 4.1, above is, for any reason,
cancelled, postponed or not available, that element(s) of the prize will be considered as
forfeited and no alternative offer will be granted in lieu of the part of the prize. If a
winner forfeits a specified element, no alternative offer will be granted in lieu of the part
of the prize.
4.5 The winners must participate in and co-operate with all reasonable media editorial
requests, including but not limited to, being interviewed and photographed, and the
winners grant West Australian Newspapers and prize suppliers a perpetual and non-
exclusive licence to use such footage and photographs in all media worldwide and the
winners will not be entitled to any fee for such use.
4.6 It is a condition of accepting any prize that the prize winner must comply with all the
conditions of use of the Competition and West Australian Newspapers’ requirements.
4.7 The prize winners must provide valid identification to West Australian Newspapers upon
West Australian Newspapers’ request. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of the
prize at West Australian Newspapers’ sole discretion.
4.7.1 Entrants of the First Nations Storytelling Prize may be asked to provide
confirmation and/or verification of their Aboriginality, as per clause 2.6, above.
(“First Nations Entrant”).
4.7.2 Entrants of the Navitas ESL Prize may be asked to provide confirmation and/or
verification that English is their second language, as per clause 2.5, above. (“ESL
Entrant”).
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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4.8 Additional terms and conditions may apply, subject to the means of provision of the prize.
4.9 The prize is not transferable.
4.10 Independent financial advice should be sought as tax implications may arise as a result of
accepting the prize.
4.11 Subject to the Australian Consumer Law and state permit authority restrictions, West
Australian Newspapers may reasonably amend these terms and conditions, orally or in
writing, in its absolute discretion.
5. HOW TO WIN
5.1 There will be winners for sixteen prizes. The judging criteria will be set by the
Competition’s Prize Jury, see bestaustralianyarn.com.au for members of the
Competition’s Prize Jury, and will consider, among other things, readability and
originality. Stories should entertain and challenge through a clear understanding of what
it takes to make a compelling story. The winner/s will be the best valid entries as judged
by the judging panel, at West Australian Newspapers’ premises, Newspaper House, 50
Hasler Rd, Osborne Park 6017 WA after Tuesday, 1 August 2023 08.00pm AWST. West
Australian Newspapers may select additional entries to be used as replacements in the
event that the first entrant chosen as a winner cannot satisfy these Terms and Conditions
or take a prize.
5.2 The judging process will be as follows, and is more fully set out in the Competition FAQs.
5.2.1 How will the entries be judged? | First, entries will go through a longlist panel
of experienced writers from The West Australian, which will select the best 50
short stories. Those entries will then go to the Prize Jury, who will determine
the final shortlist of 10 and the winners in the various categories. The Navitas
ESL Prize, The First Nations Storytelling Prize and the GenWest Youth Prizes will
all be judged separately to the main prize, with the stand-out entries from
these prizes given to the Prize Jury to judge when they judge the longlist and
determine the overall prize winners in each category.
5.2.2 How will the stories be judged? | The judging criteria will be set by the Prize
Jury, and will consider, among other things, readability and originality. Stories
should entertain and challenge through a clear understanding of what it takes
to make a compelling story. The evaluation process will be ‘blind’ which means
the entrant’s name will not be known by the panel of judges.
5.3 A representative of Seven West Media (WA) will contact the prize winners by a phone call
within two business days of the prize announcements and a letter advising the prize
winner of their prize will also be emailed to the email address on the entry.
5.4 The prize winners must hold an Australian bank account and must provide valid
identification to West Australian Newspapers upon West Australian Newspapers’ request.
Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of the prize at West Australian Newspapers’
sole discretion.
5.5 Prizes will be distributed by electronic fund transfer to the winner’s nominated
Australian bank account within thirty days of the Prizes being announced. Winners must
provide bank transfer details before 31 November, 2023.
5.6 Additional terms and conditions may apply, subject to the means of provision of the prize.
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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5.7 West Australian Newspapers’ decision is final and West Australian Newspapers will not
enter into correspondence regarding the result. Chance plays no part in determining any
winner.
5.8 West Australian Newspapers and its related bodies corporate reserve the right, at any
time, to verify the eligibility of entrants.
5.9 West Australian Newspapers may in its absolute discretion deem entries invalid
subsequently to a prize winner being notified or a prize winner’s name being announced
if it is discovered that the prize winner did not enter the Competition in accordance with
these terms and conditions. In these circumstances, an additional judging may be
conducted.
5.10 It is a condition of accepting the prize that the prize winner may be required to sign a
legal release in a form determined by West Australian Newspapers in its absolute
discretion.
6. NO LIABILITY
6.1 In the case of the intervention of any outside act, agent or event which prevents or
significantly hinders West Australian Newspapers’ ability to proceed with the Competition
on the dates and in the manner described in these terms and conditions, including but
not limited to a pandemic, vandalism, power failures, tempests, natural disasters, acts of
God, civil unrest, strike, war, act of terrorism, West Australian Newspapers may in its
absolute discretion cancel the Competition and recommence it from the start on the
same conditions, subject to state government legislation.
6.2 West Australian Newspapers, prize suppliers and their associated agencies and companies
will not be liable for any misadventure, accident, injury, loss (including but not limited to
consequential loss) or claim that may occur:
6.2.1 during the entry process or the judging;
6.2.2 in the participation, acceptance or use of any element(s) of the prize;
6.2.3 as a consequence of late, lost or misdirected mail;
6.2.4 due to the broadcast of any program relating to the Competition or the
publication of any material, including any statements made by any compere,
staff member, journalist, other entrants or any other person;
6.2.5 in relation to failure of an SMS entry message to be received by West
Australian Newspapers on account of technical problems or traffic congestion;
or
6.2.6 arising from or related to any problem or technical malfunction of any
telephone network, internet connection,
www.bestaustralianyarn.com.auwebsite outage or lines of mobile communications network related to or
resulting from participation in this promotion.
6.3 West Australian Newspapers, Navitas, prize suppliers, associated agencies and
companies assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion,
defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or
destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries, and reserves the right to
take any action that may be available, subject to state government legislation.
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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6.4 If for any reason the Competition is not capable of running as planned, due to causes
including but not limited to tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical
failures or any other causes beyond the control of West Australian Newspapers and/ or a
prize provider which corrupt or affect the administration security, fairness, integrity or
proper conduct of the Competition, West Australian Newspapers reserves the right in its
sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, take any
action that may be available, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the
Competition, subject to state government legislation.
6.5 Subject to clause 3.27, above, entrants must submit ONLY their own original answers,
designs and works. Any such answers, designs or works cannot be previously published in
any forum worldwide. We prohibit the use of any AI tools or programs, including
ChatGPT, in creating submissions for this Competition. All entries become the property of
West Australian Newspapers and cannot be returned. Entries that are found to have been
derived from the designs of a third party will be considered invalid and, if awarded a
prize, that prize must be returned to West Australian Newspapers. The winner may be
required to sign a statutory declaration regarding the originality of the entry. Without
limiting the generality, West Australian Newspapers reserves the right to take legal action
against anyone found to have breached this term. West Australian Newspapers reserves
the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who West Australian
Newspapers has reason to believe has breached any of these conditions, or engaged in
any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper
conduct of the Competition. West Australian Newspapers’ legal rights to recover damages
or other compensation are reserved.
6.6 Regardless of anything else in these conditions, nothing in these conditions excludes,
restricts or modifies the application of Consumer Laws or the exercise of any rights or
remedies you may have under Consumer Laws where any such exclusion, restriction or
modification would contravene Consumer Laws. “Consumer Laws” refers to the
Australian Consumer Law under Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010
(Cth), and any applicable similar consumer protection laws in the states and territories of
Australia that mirror the provisions of the Australian Consumer Law.
7. PROMOTER’S DETAILS
7.1 The Promoter is West Australian Newspapers Ltd (ABN 98 008 667 632) of 50 Hasler Road,
Osborne Park WA 6017.
7.2 All entries and any licence subsisting in the entries become and remain the property of
the Promoter who may publish or cause to be published any of the entries received. Entry
details remain the property of the Promoter. Western Australian Newspapers Limited and
its related entities (“WAN”) is collecting your personal information for the purpose of
conducting and promoting this Competition, including for the purpose of identifying and
notifying winners and understanding our audiences. WAN will otherwise handle your
personal information in accordance with WAN’s Privacy Policy which is available on our
website at
http://www.sevenwestmedia.com.au/privacy-policies (and which contains
information regarding how you can access your personal information, correct it and/ or
make a complaint about our handling of your personal information). By providing your
personal information below, you agree to the terms of the Privacy Policy. Without limiting
the foregoing, WAN may disclose the entrant’s personal information to its related
entities, business partners and external service providers for research and profiling
purposes as well as other purposes reasonably related to the entrant’s relationship with
Best Australian Yarn terms and conditions
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WAN. In addition, by entering this Competition, you consent to WAN using your personal
information for the purpose of WAN and its related entities sending you information
regarding programs, products and services available through them and/ or through their
business partners, and to WAN from time to time sharing your personal information with
carefully selected business partners for the purpose of them sending you such
information directly. We will always provide you with the ability to opt out of those
communications.
www.sevenwestmedia.com.au.
7.3 If an Entrant does not want their details to be used for the purposes stated in clause 7.2,
they must write to West Australian Newspapers Ltd by email to
privacy@wanews.com.au or post to Privacy Officer, GPO Box D162, Perth WA 6840 and
West Australian Newspapers Limited will ensure that the details are not used for that
purpose.
7.4 It is a condition of entry that all prize winners agree to have their name, photo, video and
suburb published for publicity purposes if required. By participating in this Competition,
participants signify their acceptance of all conditions and the requirement to participate
in promotional activity if required. If a winner is uncomfortable with media or public
relations activities, the Promoter can discuss with them to find an alternative
arrangemen
Australian Competitions Club
