Top Tech Journalists Honoured at the 2026 Samsung IT Journalism Awards

Sydney, Australia - Hosted by Influencing, a multi-channel news platform, the nation's top technology journalists and media outlets were celebrated on Friday evening at the 24th Annual Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards (aka The Lizzies), where David Swan and The Guardian took home the night's highest honours.

Swan, Technology Editor for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, was awarded Best Journalist, marking his second Gold Lizzie in three years. His win capped a standout evening in which he also received Best Security Journalist, Best Telecommunications Journalist, and the Cass Warneminde Best News Journalist awards.

The Guardian secured the new Best Coverage Gold Lizzie, one of two awards for the masthead, which also won Best Consumer Technology Coverage. The winning entries showcased work by Technology Reporter Josh Taylor and Senior Correspondent Sarah Martin.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Pioneer of IT Award to esteemed editor and journalist Helen Meredith, recognising her remarkable 40‑year contribution to Australian technology reporting. The award was presented by former AFR Technology Editor Beverley Head.

Held at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf in Pyrmont, the event embraced a jewel‑toned theme that set the tone for a vibrant celebration of excellence across the industry. As tradition dictates, the Best Dressed Awards were also announced, with honours going to Gemma Driscoll (ABC Gamer), Julia Talevski (ARN), and Leigh Stark (Pickr), selected by Kinetic IT and presented by Marketing Director Lara Barnett.

"What was very evident at this year's Lizzies was that technology reporting is now very much a mainstream topic and this year's winners and highly commended included many of Australia's largest media houses," said Phil Sim, CEO, Influencing.  

"Our winners know that taking home one of these Awards means you're producing stories that have important societal and economic impact."

Influencing extends its thanks to all attendees and acknowledges the generous support of this year's sponsors, including Samsung Australia, Adobe, Apptio, ARM Hub, Aussie Broadband, Australian Computer Society (ACS), Cisco, Kinetic IT, Meta, MYOB, Optus, PEXA, and Watterson.

A full list of winners across all categories is available on the Influencing Lizzies website.

Media Contact

Ayla Fitzgibbon
Chief of Staff & Director of Communications
Influencing & MediaConnect Group
M: +61 (0) 431 104 817

About Influencing

Influencing is Australia's leading platform connecting journalists, PR professionals and experts. Built video-first and enhanced by AI, Influencing streamlines how newsmakers discover sources, share stories and collaborate across the media ecosystem. The platform provides tools for media outreach, expert discovery, newsroom insights and event engagement, including the IT Journalism Awards, TechLeaders and Influencing Live, supporting thousands of communication teams and journalists.