The Barbara Jefferis Award is an Australian literary award prize. The award was created in 2007 after being endowed by John Hinde upon his death to commemorate his late wife, author Barbara Jefferis. It is funded by his $1 million bequest. Originally an annual award, it has been awarded biennially since 2012.
Jefferis was an Australian writer, and a founding member and first female president of the Australian Society of Authors. She died in 2004.[1] Australian author, Thomas Keneally, described Jefferis as "a rare being amongst authors, being both a fine writer but also organisationally gifted".[2]
The award, which comprises $50,000 for the winner with $5,000 distributed amongst the shortlist, is one of Australia's richest literary prizes. It is awarded to "the best novel written by an Australian author that depicts women and girls in a positive way or otherwise empowers the status of women and girls in society".[2] The novel can be in any genre and does not have to be set in Australia.[1] The award does not specify the author's gender. It is administered by the Australian Society of Authors and is expected to rival the Miles Franklin Award ($42,000) and the biennial Tasmania Pacific Fiction Prize ($40,000).[1]
The prize was first awarded in 2008 to Rhyll McMaster for Feather Man (Brandl & Schlesinger).