my two cents are here: http://www.jenjen.com.au/blog/2011/04/another-story-from-the-bush.html

I wasn’t absolutely crazy for Melina Marchetta’s novel, but it was good. Quite good. Having not read any of the shortlisters, I can’t really compare, but it is certainly a pity that the voice of young people, a multicultural, multigenerational family story (as so many Australians could relate to) isn’t represented on that list of 3. So so short.

I have only read Bereft: yes it may be historical and have a male main character, but it also has a very strong female character in Sadie. It’s rural setting is important to the almost gothic feel to the novel. I found it more about love, loss and longing than what could be termed a ‘male novel’ – whatever that means.
As a writer I believe it’s not a case of ‘oh, if I write this particular novel it might win a prize’, but rather exploring the stories which sometimes just come to you and you feel have to be told.

Sam: I agree, if it’s ‘Australian life’ we’re meant to be looking at with the Franklin, it’s a very narrow version of it.

But to address Robyne, as I say I haven’t read Bereft, and I do hate it when people comment on things they haven’t actually seen/read/watched themselves, but here I am doing it. I’m sure you’re right and it isn’t necessarily a ‘male’ story or even an easily categorised one, nor do I think authors set out to write the type of books they think will win prizes. But I do wonder if we’re influenced as to what stories we’re drawn to by what stories a society deems ‘important’. And I do think male stories are, often unconsciously, deemed more weighty, more universal than women’s stories. It’s a big issue and hard to pin down.

I think this issue is inextricable from the purpose of the award itself – celebrating the best portrayal of “Australian life in any of its phases”. The idea that award-worthy literature must be that which represents some elusive idea of national identity seems so redundant to me. Yet national film bodies too continue to stipulate that funding will be awarded to those filmmakers who best represent “Australian stories”.

We’d all like to think our idea of what constitutes “Australian life” or an “Australian story” has opened up in the postcolonial moment, but perhaps this trend in Miles Franklin winners suggests that as long as we continue to require Australian art to represent national identity, the traditional mythology of Australianness – of a rugged, rural (and white?) masculinity – will prevail in the national consciousness, even if not in reality…

I really agree Rebecca, the film industry is a lesson as to what happens when you privilege one kind of story as being more ‘Australian’ and somehow more authentic than others. We’ve ended up with a lot of great films which nobody goes to see because it’s catering to what arts bodies think they should want, rather than what they actually do.

I don’t think publishing is as bad as this, it’s not reliant on government funding in the way film is in Australia, but prizes like the Miles Franklin do seem to be guilty of enforcing a particular vision of ‘Australianess’.

My thoughts on this here (with a little bit of discussion with @LiteraryMinded): http://simpys.wordpress.com/

The list is dominated by males and stories of male-dominated areas because that’s what contemporary Australia still is. We simply haven’t moved beyond a default position which places these stories on the same level as stories written by other demographics. Turn on the television, listen to the radio, visit a workplace, a school, a library, anywhere in which ideas are given power and you will find males are still the ones telling their (our) stories and being listened to. The award is a reflection, not a mechanism for social upheaval. Perhaps it could be – a female-authored story might slip one more non-white, non-male, non-middle-aged story into national consciousness and slowly our society will come about, but it’s just one more drop in the river. 220 years of dominance is not so easily blinked away. Ask an Aboriginal!

Having read two of the three novels short-listed novels i hope Kim Scott takes out the prize,this is a important novel about invasion/settlement that I believe Australia is ready for. I too have concerns about the lack of female writers selected, but ‘That Deadman Dance’ is story that needs to be read by all, and winning the MFA will help that cause.