# AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television

The AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA).

## History

From 1986 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards).
When the award was first introduced, it was handed out as two awards: Mini-Series Screenplay and Telefeature Screenplay. The name was changed to Best Screenplay in a Mini-Series or Television Drama in 1990, and the following year it became Best Screenplay in a Television Drama until 2003 where the award was renamed to its current title.
When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current award being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Screenplay in Television. AACTA is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television".

## Ceremony

The award is presented at the annual AACTA Awards, which hand out accolades for achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films.

## Winners and nominees

In the following tables, the years listed correspond to the year of film release; the ceremonies are usually held the same year. The writer and programme in bold and in yellow background have won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the tables always lists the winning writer and programme first and then the other nominees.

### Best Mini-Series Screenplay

| Year | Program | Writer(s) | Network |
| 1986 (28th) | The Dunera Boys | Ben Lewin | Network Ten |
| 1987 (29th) |
| 1987 (29th) | In Between | Maureen McCarthy and Shane Brennan | SBS |
| 1987 (29th) | The Challenge | David Phillips | Nine Network |
| 1987 (29th) | The Great Bookie Robbery | Philip Cornford and Ian Bradley | Nine Network |
| 1987 (29th) | Vietnam | Terry Hayes, John Duigan and Chris Noonan | Network Ten |
| 1988 (30th) | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 1989 (31st) |
| 1989 (31st) | Bodysurfer | Suzanne Hawley, Christopher Lee and Denis Whitburn | ABC |
| 1989 (31st) | Edens Lost | Michael Gow | ABC |
| 1989 (31st) | Act of Betrayal | Michael Chaplin and Nick Evans | ABC |
| 1989 (31st) | Barlow and Chambers: A Long Way From Home | Bill Kerby | Nine Network |

### Best Telefeature Screenplay

| Year | Program | Writer(s) | Network |
| 1986 (28th) | Natural Causes | John Misto | ABC |
| 1987 (29th) |
| 1987 (29th) | Two Friends | Helen Garner | ABC |
| 1987 (29th) | The Hour Before My Brother Dies | Daniel Keene | ABC |
| 1987 (29th) | Hunger | Louis Nowra | ABC |
| 1987 (29th) | Just Us | Ted Roberts | Seven Network |
| 1988 (30th) | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 1989 (31st) |
| 1989 (31st) | Police State | Ian David and Francine Finnane | ABC |
| 1989 (31st) | Malpractice | Jenny Ainge | Nine Network |
| 1989 (31st) | Rescue | Everett De Roche | ABC |
| 1989 (31st) | Prejudice | Pamela Williams | Nine Network |

### Best Screenplay in a Mini-Series or Television Drama

| Year | Program | Writer(s) | Network |
| 1990 (32nd) |
| 1990 (32nd) | The Magistrate | Chris Warner | ABC |
| 1990 (32nd) | Come In Spinner | Nick Enright and Lissa Benyon | ABC |
| 1990 (32nd) | The Girl from Tomorrow | Mark Shirrefs and John Thomson | Nine Network |
| 1990 (32nd) | Police Crop | Ian David | ABC |

### Best Screenplay in a Television Drama

| Year | Program | Episode | Writer(s) | Network |
| 1991 (33rd) |
| 1991 (33rd) | Police Rescue | "Angel After Hours" | Peter Schreck | ABC |
| 1991 (33rd) | Embassy | "A Human Dimension" | Anne Lucas | ABC |
| 1991 (33rd) | More Winners | "The Big Wish" | Steve J. Spears | ABC |
| 1991 (33rd) | The Paper Man | | Keith Aberdein and John Lonie | ABC |
| 1992 (34th) |
| 1992 (34th) | Brides of Christ | | John Alsop and Sue Smith | ABC |
| 1992 (34th) | Phoenix | "Fond Memories" | Cliff Green | ABC |
| 1992 (34th) | Phoenix | "Hard Ball" | Alison Nisselle | ABC |
| 1992 (34th) | Six Pack | "Piccolo Mondo" | Andrew Bovell | SBS |
| 1993 (35th) |
| 1993 (35th) | The Leaving of Liverpool | | John Alsop and Sue Smith | ABC |
| 1993 (35th) | Seven Deadly Sins | "Sloth" | Hannie Rayson | ABC |
| 1993 (35th) | Round the Twist | "Little Squirt" | Paul Jennings and Esben Storm | ABC |
| 1993 (35th) | Police Rescue | "Lifeline" | Debra Oswald | ABC |
| 1994 (36th) |
| 1994 (36th) | The Damnation of Harvey McHugh | "Hey, St Jude" | John Misto | ABC |
| 1994 (36th) | Under the Skin | "The Long Ride" | Tony Ayres | SBS |
| 1994 (36th) | G.P. | "Double Bind" | Kristen Dunphy | ABC |
| 1994 (36th) | Blue Heelers | "Nowhere to Run" | Susan Hore | Seven Network |
| 1995 (37th) |
| 1995 (37th) | Frontline | "The Siege" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner | ABC |
| 1995 (37th) | Halifax f.p. | "Lies of the Mind" | Jan Sardi | Nine Network |
| 1995 (37th) | Halifax f.p. | "The Feeding" | Mac Gudgeon | Nine Network |
| 1995 (37th) | Janus | "Not on the Merits" | Cliff Green | ABC |
| 1996 (38th) |
| 1996 (38th) | Blue Murder | | Ian David | ABC |
| 1996 (38th) | Frontline | "Keeping Up Appearances" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner | ABC |
| 1996 (38th) | G.P. | "Ceremony of Innocence" | Katherine Thomson | ABC |
| 1997 (39th) |
| 1997 (39th) | Frontline | "The Simple Life" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner | ABC |
| 1997 (39th) | Frontline | "Epitaph" | Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy and Tom Gleisner | ABC |
| 1997 (39th) | Good Guys, Bad Guys | "1.8 Million Reasons to Change Your Name Part 2" | Graeme Koetsveld | Nine Network |
| 1997 (39th) | Simone de Beauvoir's Babies | "Episode 3" | Deborah Cox | ABC |
| 1998 (40th) |
| 1998 (40th) | Wildside | "Episode 17" | Tim Pye | ABC |
| 1998 (40th) | Halifax f.p. | "Afraid of the Dark" | Roger Simpson | Nine Network |
| 1998 (40th) | SeaChange | "Stormy Weather" | Deborah Cox | ABC |
| 1998 (40th) | The Violent Earth | | Peter Gawler and Tony Ayres | Nine Network |
| 1999 (41st) |
| 1999 (41st) | The Day of the Roses | | John Misto | Network Ten |
| 1999 (41st) | SeaChange | "Law and Order" | Deborah Cox | ABC |
| 1999 (41st) | SeaChange | "Manna From Heaven" | Deborah Cox and Andrew Knight | ABC |
| 1999 (41st) | Wildside | "Episode 19" | Kris Wyld | ABC |
| 2000 (42nd) |
| 2000 (42nd) | Grass Roots | "The Whole Year" | Geoffrey Atherden | ABC |
| 2000 (42nd) | Grass Roots | "Late July, Friday 4pm to 10.30pm" | Geoffrey Atherden | ABC |
| 2000 (42nd) | Halifax f.p. | "A Person of Interest" | Anne Brooksbank | Nine Network |
| 2000 (42nd) | Something in the Air | "We Will Remember Them" | Katherine Thomson | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) |
| 2001 (43rd) | The Games | "Solar" | John Clarke and Ross Stevenson | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) | Changi | | John Doyle | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) | SeaChange | "I Name Thee Bay of Pearls" | Deborah Cox and Andrew Knight | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) | SeaChange | "Love in the Time of Coleridge" | Hannie Rayson and Andrea Denholm | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) |
| 2002 (44th) | Kath & Kim | "Wedding" | Gina Riley and Jane Turner | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) | Halifax f.p. | "Takes Two" | Katherine Thomson | Nine Network |
| 2002 (44th) | Kath & Kim | "Gay" | Gina Riley and Jane Turner | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) | The Secret Life of Us | "Intimations of Mortality" | Christopher Lee | Network Ten |

### Best Screenplay in Television

| Year | Program | Episode | Writer(s) | Network |
| 2003 (45th) |
| 2003 (45th) | Grass Roots | "By-Election" | Geoffrey Atherden | ABC |
| 2003 (45th) | After the Deluge | | Andrew Knight | Network Ten |
| 2003 (45th) | CNNNN | "Lunchgate" | Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow and Charles Firth | ABC |
| 2003 (45th) | MDA | "Crossing the Line" | Bill Garner | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) |
| 2004 (46th) | Marking Time | | John Doyle | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Kath & Kim | "The Hideous Truth" | Gina Riley and Jane Turner | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Stingers | "Break and Enter" | Matt Ford | Nine Network |
| 2004 (46th) | The Brush-Off | | John Clarke | Seven Network |
| 2005 (47th) |
| 2005 (47th) | Love My Way | "Only Mortal" | Jacquelin Perske | Fox8 |
| 2005 (47th) | MDA | "A Human Cost (Part 4)" | Greg Haddrick | ABC |
| 2005 (47th) | The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant | | Peter Berry | Network Ten |
| 2005 (47th) | We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year | "Episode 1" | Chris Lilley | ABC |
| 2006 (48th) |
| 2006 (48th) | RAN | "Blue Hawaii" | Sue Smith | SBS |
| 2006 (48th) | Love My Way | "Five Minutes of Fame" | Jacquelin Perske | W |
| 2006 (48th) | Mortified | "Taylor's DNA" | Angela Webber | Nine Network |
| 2006 (48th) | The Chaser's War on Everything | "Episode 8" | Chris Taylor, Julian Morrow, Craig Reucassel, Andrew Hansen, Chas Licciardello, Dominic Knight and Charles Firth | ABC |
| 2007 (49th) |
| 2007 (49th) | Bastard Boys | | Sue Smith | ABC |
| 2007 (49th) | Lockie Leonard | "The Ladder of Love" | Keith Thompson | Nine Network |
| 2007 (49th) | Love My Way | "Cars Without Brakes" | Tony McNamara | Showtime |
| 2007 (49th) | The Circuit | "Home Is Where the Past Is" | Kelly Lefever | SBS |
| 2008 (50th) |
| 2008 (50th) | The Hollowmen | "Fat Chance" | Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob Sitch | ABC1 |
| 2008 (50th) | Dogstar | "Tail's End" | Philip Dalkin | Nine Network |
| 2008 (50th) | East West 101 | "Death at the Station" | Kris Wyld | SBS |
| 2008 (50th) | Underbelly | "Sorcerer's Apprentice" | Peter Gawler | Nine Network |
| 2009 (51st) |
| 2009 (51st) | Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities | "The Brotherhood" | Kris Mrksa | Nine Network |
| 2009 (51st) | 30 Seconds | "Invisible Fault Lines" | Tim Bullock, Justin Drape and Scott Nowell | The Comedy Channel |
| 2009 (51st) | East West 101 | "Atonement" | Michael Miller and Kristen Dunphy | SBS |
| 2009 (51st) | Review with Myles Barlow | "Episode 1" | Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd | ABC |
| 2010 (52nd) |
| 2010 (52nd) | Wilfred | "Dog Star" | Jason Gann and Adam Zwar | SBS |
| 2010 (52nd) | Hawke | | Glen Dolman | Network Ten |
| 2010 (52nd) | Review with Myles Barlow | "Happiness, Escapism, Acceptance" | Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd | ABC |
| 2010 (52nd) | Tangle | "Sleepwalking" | Fiona Seres | Showcase |

#### AACTA Awards

| Year | Program | Episode | Writer(s) | Network |
| 2011 (1st) |
| 2011 (1st) | The Slap | "Harry" | Brendan Cowell | ABC1 |
| 2011 (1st) | Cloudstreet | "Part 3" | Tim Winton and Ellen Fontana | Showcase |
| 2011 (1st) | Laid | "Episode 3" | Kirsty Fisher | ABC1 |
| 2011 (1st) | The Slap | "Hector" | Kris Mrksa | ABC1 |
| 2012 (2nd) |
| 2012 (2nd) | Redfern Now | "Pretty Boy Blue" | Steven McGregor | ABC1 |
| 2012 (2nd) | A Moody Christmas | "Water Under the Bridge" | Trent O'Donnell and Phil Lloyd | ABC1 |
| 2012 (2nd) | Lowdown | "One Fine Gay" | Amanda Brotchie, Adam Zwar and Trudy Hellier | ABC1 |
| 2012 (2nd) | Puberty Blues | "Episode 5" | Alice Bell and Tony McNamara | Network Ten |
| 2013 (3rd) |
| 2013 (3rd) | Offspring | "Episode 13" | Debra Oswald | Network Ten |
| 2013 (3rd) | Upper Middle Bogan | "No Angel" | Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope, and Gary McCaffrie | ABC1 |
| 2013 (3rd) | Redfern Now | "Babe in Arms" | Steven McGregor | ABC1 |
| 2013 (3rd) | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War | "Part One" | Samantha Winston | Nine Network |