The category for Best Australian Short Fiction was first awarded in 1978, but was not awarded again until 1981, when the previous category (Best Australian Fiction) was permanently split into Best Australian Long Fiction and Best Australian Short Fiction.
This particular award lasted until 2000, after which it was replaced by Best Short Story.
A category for Novella or Novelette (indexed separately) was added in 2004.
'A composer in an unstable city-state accidentally discovers the perfect singer for his work—a clockwork man—and sows the seeds of revolution.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.