QUILL AWARDS 2011 Young Journalist of the Year _________________________________________________________ AMELIA HARRIS I consistently find exclusive angles and

gles and deliver strong scoops for my editor across print, online and the iPad often shooting video, recording audio, capturing words, as well as building interactive graphics. The strongest yarn from my 2011 folio was the dogged three-month pursuit of Victoria Police who fudged crime statistics to paint a rosier picture of crime. The agenda-setting piece was exquisitely timed and heaped extraordinary pressure on Chief Commissioner Simon Overland, who was already facing questions over crime stats. He was gone within two weeks. The story, which I pursued after seeing a discrepancy in the reporting of crime statistics, resulted in Victoria Police changing the policy on releasing quarterly crime statistics. This page one exclusive demonstrates my initiative, and ability to go beyond routine police rounds jobs. Im not afraid to tackle stories that put pressure on the Force, and to delve into the politics of policing. I lead our rolling, 12-hour coverage of the Occupy Melbourne eviction and Tweeted more 30 updates before my mobile died, shot footage and took photos on an iPad and iPhone from inside the barricades. One of my video reports was picked up by the Huffington Post and viewed more than 160,000 times on YouTube. An agenda-setting story about the worst repeat drink-drivers saw the State Government launch a review into the problem. I used my understanding of data mapping to help build an online interactive graphic. Radio and television stations were forced to lift the figures and quotes and attribute them to us.

I put as much effort into assigned stories as I do my own. When my chief of staff asked me to calculate the number of years ``lost to the road toll I built an Excel database using multiple data sources and co-ordinated an interactive graphic for our website. The three-month project also saw me interview 20 families touched by the toll. My versatility as a writer is evident in the feature about Jyrah Morton. The capsicum spray story showcased my Freedom of Information skills and initiative after police refused to give me figures. A story about two girls ``sentenced to Facebook was one of several about the social networking site which came from contacts. I chased hard to stack up the story, under significant deadline pressure, which included a last-minute dash to Dandenong to collect an audio recording of the case which took more than an hour to edit. Entry consists of: 1. Crime Stats Twisted PDF to be viewed in conjunction with interactive online graphic http://media.heraldsun.com.au/multimedia/2011/05/assault/crime_map.html 2. Madness Video, Tweets, photographs taken on iPad and online news story to be viewed in conjunction with PDF Video report which was picked up by the Huffinton Post and has had more than 160,000 views on YouTube http://video.heraldsun.com.au/2157468584/Occupy-Melbourne-protest- chaos?area=videoindex9 News story http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/boot-out-protesters-says- businesses/story-fn7x8me2-1226172294310

Video report http://video.heraldsun.com.au/2157502843/Protesters-regroup 3. .05 Maniacs PDF to be viewed in conjunction with interactive online graphic http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/drunk-deadly-and-couldnt- care-less/story-fn7x8me2-1226232873051 4. Police cop a spray PDF to be viewed in conjunction with online case files and audio of Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe, listed as related coverage http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/police-criticised-over-use-of-capsicum- spray-on-children/story-e6frf7jo-1226016823304 5. Shamed on Facebook PDF to be viewed in conjunction with audio of magistrate Greg Connellan from court case http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/facebook-shame-for- women/story-fn7x8me2-1226055673213 6. L-plate hoons PDF 7. Your taxes on tap PDF to be viewed in conjunction with audio of Phil Reed and anti drink-driving campaigner Penny Martin (at the bottom of copy) http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/bizarre-tac-beer-brewers- challenge-axed/story-e6frf7l6-1226059436478 8. 11,000 years lost: the real road toll tragedy

PDF to be viewed in conjunction with interactive online graphic showing the number of years ``lost on the roads. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/death-on-the-roadsthe-hidden- cost/story-fn7x8me2-1226228789976 9. Tell your kids you love them PDF 10. My hero dad PDF