Journalist Richard Guilliatt resigns from Walkley awards board after critic wins reporting prize
Walkley Board Member Steps Down Following Podcast Controversy
Journalist Richard Guilliatt resigns from Walkley - Richard Guilliatt has departed his position on the Walkley awards judging panel. His departure follows a sequence of events where the Walkley Foundation rejected grievances regarding his podcast work, subsequently presenting an honor to a reporter whose coverage questioned Guilliatt's journalism. Nina Funnell secured a mid-year Walkley accolade recognizing her as freelance journalist of the year. This recognition came for three pieces published in news.com.au detailing the ordeal of a sexual assault survivor. The woman endured abuse at the hands of her parents over a fourteen-year period.
The Podcast That Sparked the Dispute
Funnell's articles contained significant revelations about Guilliatt's podcast production. Titled "Shadow of Doubt," the series aired on The Australian. The program featured interviews with the survivor's parents while they remained incarcerated. The podcast posited that the legal outcome might represent a serious miscarriage of justice. The survivor reportedly found the podcast deeply distressing. She had previously broken her silence nearly four months after the initial reporting, explaining to Funnell that she was devastated by the interviews. Despite her father receiving a record sentence of forty-eight years, and convictions being upheld through to the High Court, she felt her privacy had been shattered. The Australian defended its decision to access the survivor's counselling notes, characterizing the move as public interest journalism. These notes had been subpoenaed during the trial proceedings.
Complaints and Foundation Response
Grievances regarding Guilliatt's conduct were submitted after Funnell pointed out that the podcast utilized notes from the survivor's psychiatric and counselling treatment. One complaint reviewed by Guardian Australia characterized Guilliatt as presenting an "extremely biased" perspective. The same complaint labeled the series a "gutter podcast." The Walkley board dismissed these complaints. They determined that the panel lacked the authority to conduct editorial assessments concerning the journalism produced by individual judges. Shona Martyn, the Walkley Foundation CEO, wrote to the complainants confirming this stance. She stated that no further action would be taken regarding Guilliatt's role on the judging board.
Guilliatt's Resignation
Guilliatt expressed satisfaction with Martyn's "sensible decision" to not penalize him. However, he promptly submitted his resignation. The timing coincided with the Foundation's decision to present an award to Funnell. "On June 18, the Foundation announced that a Mid-Year Media Prize had been awarded to the misleading reporting which had prompted the complaints about my work," Guilliatt explained to Guardian Australia. "I regarded that decision as indefensible and I resigned as a Walkley judge in a letter to Walkley Foundation CEO Shona Martyn on June 26." Funnell had previously dismissed the notion that her reporting was inaccurate. In March, she stated, "We have not made any corrections, nor do we have any need to."
Aftermath and Clarification
Martyn confirmed the departure without providing additional detail. "Richard Guilliatt is no longer a member of the Walkley Judging Board having resigned last month," she said. The Walkley Foundation issued a statement on Saturday following publication. "The Walkley Foundation stands by the integrity of its judging processes. It is not appropriate for the Foundation to discuss judging decisions." Guilliatt had defended his podcast work after Funnell's articles appeared. He wrote that "Shadow of Doubt raised questions about the guilty verdict, about the reliability of Emily's* memories, the adequacy of her mental health treatment and the police investigation of her allegations." Guardian Australia reported in April that Corrective Services NSW was examining how Guilliatt managed to interview the couple while they were imprisoned. The Australian had originally published an eight-part series in 2023 featuring these jailhouse interviews under pseudonyms. The series challenged the original verdicts by arguing that "no one noticed the abuse." *Not her real name This article was amended on 11 July 2026 to provide additional context around Nina Funnell's reporting and award. Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at Full Stop Australia (1800 385 578). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673.