Minister pledges Queensland Literary Awards funding as LNP have change of heart on book awards WELL READ: Deloittes' Tim Biggs, Arts Minister Ian Walker and QLA chairman Stuart Glover. THE literary awards powered by the people have won back the State Government after their rousing community stand last year. The Courier-Mail can reveal that 2013 Queensland Literary Awards will offer three $15,000 fellowships funded by the State Government specifically for Queensland writers. The decision comes less than a year after Campbell Newman scrapped the Premier's Literary Awards as a cost-cutting measure. In another funding coup for the grassroots QLA, created last year, professional services firm Deloitte will also today announce a $20,000 sponsorship. QLA chair Dr Stuart Glover welcomed the Government's fellowship program as a means of injecting a developmental focus for local writers. "The QLA will maintain a national suite of awards, which will be announced in April, but I have started conversations with the Government about ways to introduce some other Queensland-related elements," Dr Glover said. The Courier-Mail will again sponsor the $5000 People's Choice book of the year award and Dr Glover said the QLA continued to seek corporate and community support. There was public criticism last year when Premier Newman scrapped the $230,000 awards program. Dr Glover said the extent and depth of community reaction surprised many within Brisbane's literary circles. "I think the Government noticed that as well and that seems to be part of why we are back at the table to discuss it," he said. But Arts Minister Ian Walker said the $62,000 in new funding, including $17,000 for administrative costs, was not a response to the outcry, rather it was a new partnership. "Difficult decisions had to be made last year to make sure appropriate funding was funnelled to front-line services like hospitals and schools," he said. This is my department looking at what we can do to support Queensland writers even more than we already do. The important thing is that this whole arrangement will be a partnership amongst the Government, the corporate sector and philanthropists. He said the Government's focus was encouraging Queensland writers. The fellowships will be selected and administered by the QLA. Nominations for the fellowships open March 25 and nominations for the Queensland Literary Awards open April 11.