Earlier this year, Kiwis were invited to choose outstanding New Zealand writers who have made significant contributions to literature in the genres of non-fiction, poetry and fiction.

The nominations were assessed by an 'expert literary panel' and recommendations were forwarded to Creative New Zealand for approval.

The results are now out - with Patricia Grace (pictured), Vincent O’Sullivan and Judith Binney banking $60,000 apiece this week after winning the 2006 Prime Minister’s Awards for Literary Achievement.

Our Leaderene said:

Patricia Grace’s work has played a key role in the emergence of Maori fiction in English. A writer of novels, short stories and children’s fiction her work expresses Maori consciousness and values to a wide international audience.

Vincent O’Sullivan’s poetry, which is what we are honouring him for tonight, goes to the heart of life’s big themes – love, politics, philosophy, literature and history. He is one of the 12 New Zealand writers currently at the French literary festival Les Belles Etrangeres and the invitation extended to us this year by that festival illustrates how highly regarded our writers are internationally.

Judith Binney’s work plays a vital role in recording our history, with a focus on Maori communities. Her writing draws on oral histories and communal memories, and uses photographic sources as an integral part of the written historical discourse.

Looks like an informed and popular choice to us - but we're curious to know if the writers with the most votes were the ones selected by CNZ. Anyone happen to know ..?