Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has been named a finalist for the McKinnon Prize for political leader of the year for her “hardline stance” on crime, “channelling public sentiment into decisive leadership” and for doing what most chief ministers do by taking on the role of Police Minister, as questions remain over who nominated her for the award and when.

The group organising the awards says it does not necessarily endorse her policies, despite celebrating them as part of promotion material for the nomination.

Ms Finocchiaro is up against SA Premier Peter Malinauskas and ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr for the prestigious award, that is handed out by the McKinnon Institute and the University of Melbourne. Last year’s winners were Chris Minns and Dominic Perrottet “for their civil conduct a

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