Rick Morton is an award-winning journalist with The Australian and is the author of One Hundred Years of Dirt. It explores intergenerational trauma, poverty, addiction and mental health and the role of a mother who tried to love enough for the failures of everyone else around her. Originally from Queensland, Rick has worked in Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne and now Canberra as the social affairs writer for The Australian with a particular focus on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, aged care, the welfare system, religion and employment services. Rick is the winner of the 2017 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Columnist. One Hundred Years of Dirt was longlisted for the 2018 Walkley Book of the Year and was Highly Commended in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2019.