THE Newcastle Herald's pursuit of a just energy transition for the Hunter communities built upon the bedrock of the coal industry has been shortlisted for one of NSW journalism's top honours.
Spanning dozens of stories, this newspaper's Power and the Passion series has covered the upheaval in the energy sector and what it means for those in the Hunter's energy industry and the other sectors and shires that rely upon it.
The series has covered the cost of the shift toward renewables for the region, fallout from the slated closures at Eraring and Mt Arthur, shortfalls in state government coal royalties returning to the Hunter and the push for urgent action during the federal election campaign.
On Thursday it was named a finalist in the Chris Watson Award for print and online regional journalism.
"This year's finalists reflect the incredibly high standard of entries which augers well for the health of our media industry given the obstacles of digital disruption and pandemic we have all faced over the last two years," the awards' organisers noted in the announcement.
The winners will be announced at a gala slated for Sydney's Royal Randwick racecourse on August 12.