When Crikey announced its inaugural Shitstirrers Index to honour those who were the biggest pain in the arse to people in power this year, we didn’t expect close to 1,000 Crikey readers to send in nominations.
There have been slight variations in the definition of “shitstirrer” since its first recorded use by Australian novelist Frank Hardy in his 1971 novel The Outcasts of Foolgarah.
We think of it as someone who is a nuisance to powerful people. They’re an underdog on a mission who makes trouble, speaks truths and punches up. They invoke the larrikin spirit by needling those who take themselves too seriously. Shitstirring, in our eyes, is a noble act because it keeps those at the top on their toes (although it isn’t always carried out with noble intent).
With this as our lodestar, we convened the Shitstirrers Council to devise a list of the 10 figures whose stirring of the pot defined 2024. After excluding the ineligible — we’ve only recognised Australians on this list — we were left with hundreds of mischief-makers who made waves this year.
Determining the order was no easy feat. The hallmark of a true shitstirrer is that you know one when you see one. But since we were spoiled with an embarrassment of riches with so many excelling at pestering in 2024, the council considered a few questions to help separate the good shitstirrers from the truly great ones.
These included: Who was behind the biggest shitstorms this year? Who punched (up) above their weight? Whose handiwork left a lasting impact? Who had fun doing it?
Crikey will be rolling out the list this week, starting today and finishing with the crowning of our Shitstirrer of the Year on Thursday. Find the first batch right here.
