The Australia First Prize 2026

The Australian Lobby Group (ALG) invites submissions from Australians of all backgrounds and skillsets to craft research papers, commentaries, and video presentations that foster innovative approaches to Australia First policies.

The competition is open to any submissions that articulate what issues and policies must be a priority for the Australia First movement. Entries will be vetted by experts and voted on by ALG members.

Exemplary submissions will be published on the ALG website under the Research tab. The top three submissions will be awarded a monetary prize and the authors earmarked as potential contacts for future Australia First think-tanks and speaking events.

SUBMISSIONS DUE: July 31, 2026
ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS: September 2026

Eligibility

• Open to Australian citizens aged 18+.
• No entry fee.
• Current ALG board members and their immediate family are ineligible.
• Submissions must be original, unpublished work; plagiarism results in disqualification.

Categories and Submission Guidelines

All submissions must align with Australia First policy themes (e.g., national sovereignty, economic independence, cultural preservation).

Limit one entry per category per person.

Academic Papers (1,000–5,000 words, PDF format)

• Subtypes: Data-Driven (empirical analysis), Position (argumentative), Analytical (critical review), Prescriptive (policy recommendations).
• Use an established citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
• Include an abstract (150–250 words) and references.

Opinion Pieces (500–1,500 words, PDF format)

• Persuasive essays on policy topics; formal citations are not required, but sources are encouraged.

Video Submissions (3–10 minutes, MP4 format)

• Original content; include transcript or subtitles.
• High-quality audio/video; no copyrighted material without permission.
• Submit a link to the video in the form below. You may use a service such as Google Drive, YouTube (visibility: unlisted), Dropbox or another online hosting platform and share the link. Please set the link to ‘public access’ so the ALG team can view and download your video.
• Upload a cover page with title, category, author name, contact information, and a short bio (100 words max).

Judging Process

Phase 1: Expert Vetting (August 2026)

ALG experts review for relevance, originality, quality, and adherence to the rules. Top 10–20 per category advance.

Phase 2: Member Voting (August 2026)

ALG members vote online; the top 3 per category win.

Criteria: Innovation (30%), Relevance to Australia First (30%), Clarity/Quality (20%), Impact Potential (20%).

Decisions are final; no appeals.

Prizes

• Top 3 submissions per category: $500 prize.
• Earmarked by ALG for participation in future think-tanks and speaking events such as the Australia Wide Tour (Sept/Nov).
• All winners receive certificates and a website feature.

Timeline

• Launch: 25 March 2026.
• Submissions Open: March 25 – July 31, 2026 (11:59 PM AEST).
• Vetting/Voting: August 2026.
• Winners Announced: September 2026 (during tour).

Rights and Permissions

• Entrants retain copyright but grant ALG non-exclusive rights to publish, promote, and archive submissions.
• ALG may edit for clarity/publication.
• Entrants warrant work is original and indemnify ALG against claims.

General Rules

• ALG reserves the right to modify rules or cancel the competition.
• Disqualifications for rule violations (e.g., plagiarism, libel, false statistics, etc.).
• Poor quality submissions may be excluded from voting and publication.

Contact: competitions@alg.org.au for queries.