This is a general comment and not directed at the award or journalist concerned. However, I remain perplexed that material posted on this network never seems to be followed up by 'investigative journalists.'
While it's a rumour network, some of the stuff written (not all) IMHO is clearly facts-based; the journos read it (of course they do) and must (surely) ask themselves if there's a 'story' here. Yet nothing of any substance ever emerges.
Does TIBA still exist? Are there more aircraft holding outside GAAP than there were before? Is reducing FA numbers to 1:50 conducive to good safety outcomes? Has ASIC produced any positive results? How much money has been spent on 'securing' regional aerodromes, and at what cost? Have we benefited from 'more securely' locking our aircraft? Has the controller shortage been solved, as promised by the end of August last year? The list goes on and on; yet all I see is 'cut-and-paste-stuff' that I regard as lazy journalism, right across the board.
What inhibits these guys from asking the searching questions?
From where I stand, there's only one aviation writer with a skerrick of credibility; and that's Ben Sandilands - unfortunately, he 's not main stream.