Children’s publisher Cate Sutherland recognised for distinguished service
Fremantle Press is delighted to announce that children’s publisher Cate Sutherland has won the George Robertson Award.
Named after George Robertson, the founder of Angus & Robertson, the annual awards recognise long and distinguished service to the Australian publishing industry.
CEO of Fremantle Press Alex Allan said Cate was a valuable member of the publishing team. She said, ‘As Fremantle Press approaches its fiftieth anniversary, Cate Sutherland is hurtling toward her own milestone of almost three decades of service. As the children’s publisher, Cate has developed an award-winning and highly praised list, guiding generations of writers and illustrators through their first book projects and collaborating with them as they progressed their careers. Congratulations, Cate!’
Cate Sutherland began her publishing career at UWA Publishing in 1994, before moving to Fremantle Press in 1997. She worked as production controller before taking up an editorial position. In 2007, she was appointed Fremantle Press Children’s Publisher.
Since then, Cate has debuted dozens of authors and illustrators, and created an award-winning list. Amongst other accolades, her books have won CBCA Picture Book of the Year (Timeless by Kelly Canby), Sun Project Shadowers’ Choice Award (Stellarphant by James Foley), Western Australian Premier’s Book Award (Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard) and Prime Minister’s Literary Award (Sister Heart by Sally Morgan).
Her list is internationally recognised – with Fremantle Press shortlisted for Children’s Publisher of the Year at Bologna Book Fair for the past two years – and with titles on the prestigious White Ravens List, IBBY Books for Disabilities list and New York Library and USA Library’s Best Book Lists for LGBTQIA+. Rights to Cate’s books have sold into North America, Europe and Asia.
Cate has spearheaded the publication of books focused on diversity and inclusion, working with micro-publishers and community editors to produce anthologies of intersectional writing, Blak + Black spec fic and queer spec fic. She is also the publisher behind many dual-language works for young readers in English and First Nations languages such as Noongar, Wongutha and Badamia.
Books from Cate’s list have inspired works in other creative fields, including numerous illustration exhibitions, stage plays, puppet shows and a Stan Original series.
Cate has judged the Craig Silvey, Tim Winton, Fogarty Literary and Hungerford Awards, as well as the Great Australian Yarn.
She participates in annual events with the ASA and SCBWI to assist and advise emerging writers. For many years Cate served on the APA CPC, and she has also sat on the IBBY Committee (WA) and the Perth Writers Festival Committee.
To win the award, recipients must have worked for over 30 years in the publishing industry; shown respect to others in the industry; been nominated by a past or present employer or colleague who is also an APA member; and either be currently working in the industry or have been retired for less than three years.
The full list of George Robertson Award recipients for 2025 is:
- Penny Evershed (Head of Supply Chain, S&S)
- Philip Kent (University Librarian, University of Sydney)
- Louise McCall (Contracts and Rights Administrator, Thames & Hudson)
- Anna McFarlane (Publisher, Books for Children & Young Adults, A&U)
- Karen McLaughlin (Team Leader – Operations, HarperCollins)
- Louise Stark (CEO, Hachette Australia & Aotearoa NZ)
- Christine Thorne (Logistics Operative, HarperCollins)
- Michael White (Head of International Publishing, HarperCollins)