‘A national poetic deliverance of what it means to be Aboriginal, proud and resilient - yesterday, today and tomorrow.’

‘In this brilliant, witty collection, van Neerven puts a finger to the world's jagged pulse and measures out the beat across time and country, love and loss.’

‘Van Neerven's ability to challenge and expand politics is thrilling, their flair for language exhilaratingly intimate.’

‘The judging panel was unanimous in its decision to award the prize to Throat. This year’s shortlist is particularly extraordinary, and contains some of the best works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry in recent times, so for Throat to rise to the top is an even greater acknowledgement of how great a work it is. We were overwhelmed with the work’s beauty, honesty and power, and this prize should send a clear message about what the future of literature should look like in this country.’

‘Van Neerven’s innovation lies in both form and content, extending the available language for Australia’s colonial past and present, calling out the complex interstices between coloniality, homophobia, sexism and transphobia and demanding immediate action from a flabby, forgetful and racist nation... Van Neerven’s tone is often intimate, cherishing community, Country, love for self and others. The poems are witty, a homage to the power of Indigenous artists and writers, and to the quotidian power in family and familiarity. The judges were gripped by this powerful assertion of resistance and empowerment by a poet at the top of their game.’