Two journalists from the Nine Network's axed Sunday program have won the gold Walkley, the most prized award in Australian journalism.
Ross Coulthart and Nick Farrow shared the gold Walkley for their investigation of a doctor's alleged malpractice and incompetence in the NSW south coast town of Bega, which led to charges of sexual assault and mutilation against him.
"Ross Coulthart and Nick Farrow of the Nine Network's Sunday program acted on a tip and, after weeks of painstaking investigation, found dozens of victims in a series of powerful exposes that forced a reform of NSW medical regulations surrounding the monitoring and reporting of incompetent doctors," a statement from Walkley organisers said.
The honour follows the axing of Sunday, one of the mainstays of Nine's news and current affairs stable, earlier this year, after 27 years on air.
Coulthart and Farrow were presented with the award at the 53rd annual Walkley awards ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday.
Awards were presented in 34 categories.
News Limited chief executive John Hartigan won the Walkley award for journalistic leadership.
Reuters photographer David Gray's pictures following the Sichuan Province earthquake and during the Beijing Olympics helped him secure the Nikon-Walkley Australian press photographer of the year award.
Fairfax journalist Pamela Bone was honoured posthumously with the award for most outstanding contribution to journalism for her support of humanitarian causes and advancing female leaders in the media.
A journalist with The Age, Ms Bone died in April this year following a long battle with cancer, aged 68.
Don Watson, a speech writer for former prime minister Paul Keating, won the Walkley prize for best non-fiction book for American Journeys.
