7 News Adelaide has taken home a record eight awards at the 2026 SA Press Club Awards, including the Gold Award for its coverage of the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont.
Held on Friday night at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Adelaide, the annual awards recognise excellence in South Australian journalism across television, radio, print and digital media.
The result marks the biggest haul in the station’s history, equalling the record for the most awards won by a single media outlet.
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7 News Adelaide takes home Gold Award
The Gold Award, recognising the best entry across all categories, was presented to 7 News Adelaide reporter Hannah Foord and cameraman Travis Levi, alongside 7 News Spotlight’s Michael Usher and Phil Goyen, for their coverage of the Gus Lamont disappearance.
The winning entry included Foord’s exclusive interview with Gus’s grandmother, Josie Murray, which also secured Best Long Form Television Report or Extended Coverage and Best TV News Report.
Judges described the interview as “an exclusive, attention-grabbing and powerful news story”, noting the significance of the case and the team’s handling of the coverage.
Travis Levi also received a commendation in the Best News Camera Coverage category.
Madison Stanley among major winners
Investigative journalist Madison Stanley was a double winner, taking home Young Journalist of the Year and Best Investigative Coverage of an Issue or Event in Any Medium.
Her investigation, Developers Legal Loophole, examined issues surrounding the Springwood Homes debacle, with judges describing the story as a standout that was widely followed and led to meaningful action.
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Stanley’s Young Journalist of the Year award recognised a portfolio of reporting that also included the Port MacDonnell tragedy and the Goolwa plane crash.
7 News Adelaide’s Mike Smithson was named Best Broadcaster, while Chrystianna Konidis won Best Coverage of an Event in Social Media for her rolling coverage of the death of Helen Sargeant in a hospital corridor and the family’s subsequent outrage.
Emerging journalist Olivia Gilmore-Rankine was named Best Student Journalist, with Jonathan Edwards also receiving a commendation in the Young Journalist of the Year category.
The station’s South Australian political coverage received a High Commendation, with Smithson, Rosanna Mangiarelli and Gertie Spurling recognised for 7 SA Election Coverage.
Recognising South Australian journalism
The SA Press Club Awards are among the state’s annual journalism honours, recognising reporting, investigation, broadcasting and storytelling across a range of categories.
7 News Adelaide News Director Mark Mooney said the result reflected the work of the newsroom and its commitment to reporting stories important to South Australians.
“This is incredible recognition of the entire 7 News Adelaide team.”
The awards recognise the contribution of journalists across the state’s media landscape, with entries assessed by industry peers.
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