For the inaugural
2008 awards, six Australians were appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts to the judging panels: three each for the fiction and non-fiction awards. The final decisions on the shortlist and winners for the awards was made by Prime Minister (
Kevin Rudd) based on the judging panels' recommendations. In 2012, a new award for poetry was announced and the
Prize for Australian History was incorporated. == Winners ==