Welcome to Sex, the sex education book written by Dr Melissa Kang and TV host Yumi Stynes has made the short-list for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

The book which delivers comprehensive and broad content on sex education has been the centre of several controversies over the last year. Shortly after it was published Big W removed it from it’s shelves after a campaign was launched by family groups and religious organisations.

There have been calls for the book to be removed from public libraries, have restricted access, or in some cases banned from publication all together. Later this month the City of Albany Council will face a Special Elector’s Meeting called by local residents concerned about the book, alongside underage twerking, dungeons and dragons role playing and Pride events.

The book is nominated in the Young Adult category of the awards. It will face off against the LGBTIQA+ themed We Could be Something from author Will Kostakis, Grace Notes by Karen Comer, We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough and A Hunger of Thornes by Lili Wilkinson.

Gary Lonesborough is another well-known LGBTIQA+ author whose previous book Boy From The Mish has been popular at Book Clubs.

Broadcaster, author and journalist David Marr is nominated in the History category for his work Killing for Country: A Family Story. The book won the Indie Book Awards earlier this year.

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards acknowledge the contribution of Australian literature to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life, and since 2023 have been run by Creative Australia.

CEO Adrian Collette said the awards were a significant part of Australia’s cultural life. 

“Stories are the heartbeat of our culture, connecting us to our past, illuminating our present and shaping our future. The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards celebrate the storytellers who enrich our lives with their creativity and outstanding talent.” he said.

Creative Australia received an impressive 533 entries across six literary categories: fiction, non-fiction, young adult literature, children’s literature, poetry, and Australian history.  

The winners and shortlisted authors will share in a tax-free prize pool of $600,000, the highest amount for a literary award in Australia. Each shortlisted entry will receive $5,000 with the winner of each category receiving $80,000. 

Take a look at the short-list of nominees and track down some great reads. The winners will be announced on 12th September.