The prize was valued at $15,000 (Australian) and named in honour of Donald Horne (1921–2005) in recognition of his contribution to literature and journalism in Australia.
On learning of this restriction two judges, Anna Funder and David Marr resigned from the panel.
The restriction was subsequently removed and the closing date for entries extended by one month.
The winner was selected by the remaining three judges, Erik Jensen, Suzanne Santos and Marcia Langton.
[4] Meg Watson in The Sydney Morning Herald speculated that the abolition of the award may have been related to Aēsop stopping funding the Next Chapter, another Australian literary initiative.