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MIN READ
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is delighted to announce Tegan Bennett Daylight as the 2026 ASA Medal recipient. The ASA Medal is awarded annually to an Australian author or illustrator with a significant body of work who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian literary culture, both as a creator and an advocate.
Tegan Bennett Daylight is a writer, critic, and teacher who has written across a range of forms and genres, including novels for adults and young adults, short stories, criticism, and non-fiction. Her deeply insightful writing has been recognised in the shortlists of some of Australia’s most highly regarded laurels, including the Stella Prize and the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.
The ASA Board celebrates Tegan, not only as one of Australia’s most esteemed and critically acclaimed writers, but as someone whose contribution to the broader writing community has been significant.
Tegan is a staunch supporter of emerging writers, having inspired countless students through her teaching and mentoring at institutions including the University of Technology, Western Sydney University, and Varuna. Respected by students and colleagues alike, Tegan’s commitment to teaching, her depth of knowledge, and her care for craft is obvious to all who meet her.
Known to be a critical first reader for many manuscripts, Tegan is a champion of her peers, who consistently uplifts the work of others. This vital labour makes Tegan a valued figure in the Australian literary community, and just the kind of creator the ASA Medal is intended to honour.
ASA CEO, Lucy Hayward said, “Tegan Bennett Daylight is a pillar in the writing community, through her literary accomplishments and her enduring commitment to mentoring emerging writers. The ASA is thrilled to be able to formally recognise Tegan’s achievements and celebrate her enormous contribution.”
On receiving the news, Tegan said, “Most of my work as a writer happens behind the scenes, sitting at the desk alone or working in the community, and it’s just so lovely to have it recognised in this way. To see my own name on a list that includes writers I’ve admired from afar, and those who are friends and comrades, is the highest honour I can think of. I’m so grateful to the Australian Society of Authors, an organisation we can’t live without!”
Tegan Bennett Daylight will formally accept the ASA Medal at the ASA’s Colin Simpson Memorial Keynote, which will be held in Sydney on 10 November 2026.
About the ASA Medal
Since its establishment in 2003, the ASA Medal has been awarded to recipients including Kirsty Murray, Ann James, Helen Garner, Bruce Pascoe, Thomas Keneally, Nadia Wheatley, Valerie Parv, Tim Winton, and Anita Heiss.
Each ASA Medal is handcrafted in sterling silver by Yuwaalaraay-Gamilaraay artist Melissa Stannard. The design was inspired by the estuarine mangrove river systems local to the artist, where fresh and saltwater meet, merge and blend. These mangrove systems provide a haven of safety and serenity, as well as a healing nurturing habitat for fingerlings and the next generation of other new life. The design references the supportive and uplifting work and inspirational contributions of medal recipients. The ASA thanks Melissa Stannard for her beautiful design.
