Radical changes to Australia’s National Print Awards are in many cases, a return to the status quo before Printing Industries took over the competition.

Next year’s awards competition will revert to a direct-entry model, with three PICA competitions “suspended”. Some categories are also to be “revamped” with an initial award category review to be completed by August.

The Printing Industries Craftsmanship Awards will be retained this year in WA, Tasmania and Queensland, states which “have the resources to support them”. Companies in these states will again be able to enter the 2015 national competition without winning a PICA gold first.

New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia-Northern Territory will not stage PICA events for 2014.

The changes follow a review by former IPMG Stephen Anstice, called by the Printing Industries’ board last November. A PIAA spokesman said the declining number of businesses in the industry and the financial challenges facing sponsors meant some rationalisation was required to ensure the NPA remained viable and retained their relevance.

Printing Industries is to form a new subcommittee chaired by deputy president Susan Heaney and including external industry representatives, to oversee the awards and to work with the chairman of judges to select judges, review categories annually and manage the judging process.

Existing distinctions between digital and offset process categories are to continue, and the spokesman said further work was required to determine if business awards would be included or continued.