AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
Year Winner Television Drama Episode Network Other nominees
1991 Sonia Todd Police Rescue By the book ABC TV Janet Andrewartha - Embassy , Season 2 - Episode 1 , ' A Human Dimension ' ( ABC ) Pat Bishop - The Paper Man ( ABC ) Josephine Byrnes - Shadows of the Heart ( Network Ten )
1992 Lisa Hensley Brides of Christ ABC TV Sandy Gore - Brides Of Christ ( ABC ) Leverne McDonnell - Phoenix , Season 1 - Episode 8 , 'Fond Memories ' ( ABC ) Lenita Vangellis - Six Pack - 'Loulla ' ( SBS )
1993 Denise Roberts G.P Alone ABC TV Elizabeth Alexander - Seven Deadly Sins - 'Pride ' ( ABC ) Elaine Hudson - Joh 's Jury ( ABC ) Christine Tremarco - The Leaving Of Liverpool ( ABC )
1994 Monica Maughan The Damnation of Harvey McHugh My brilliant chorea ABC TV Diana Lin - Under The Skin - Episode 5 , 'The Long Ride ' ( SBS ) Jacqueline McKenzie - The Battlers ( Seven Network ) Sigrid Thornton - G.P . , Series 6 - Episode 13 , 'Double Bind ' ( ABC )
1995 Jacqueline McKenzie Halifax f.p Lies of the Mind Nine Network Rebecca Gibney - Halifax f.p . , Series 1 - 'Lies Of The Mind ' ( Nine Network ) Belinda McClory - Janus , Series 1 - Episode 3 , 'Not On The Merits ' ( ABC ) Frances O'Connor - Halifax f.p . , Series 1 - 'The Feeding ' ( Nine Network )
1996 Claudia Karvan G.P Sing me a lullaby ABC TV Catherine McClements - Water Rats , Series 1 - Episode 10 , 'Goldstein And Son ' ( Nine Network ) Sonia Todd - Police Rescue , Series 5 - Episode 9 , 'The Only Constant ' ( ABC ) Sonia Todd
1997 Anne Looby Simone de Beauvoir 's Babies Episode # 3 ABC TV Sally Cooper - Simone De Beauvoir 's Babies - Episode 4 ( ABC ) Nadine Garner - Raw FM - Episode 2 , 'Desperately Seeking Su Lin ' ( ABC ) Leah Purcell - Fallen Angels - Episode 14 , 'Love Is In The Air ' ( ABC )
1998 Rachael Blake Wildside Episode # 20 ABC TV Rebecca Gibney - Halifax f.p . , Series 3 - 'Afraid Of The Dark ' ( Nine Network ) Claudia Karvan - Never Tell Me Never ( Network Ten ) Sophie Heathcote - Raw FM - Episode 8 , 'Raw ' n Sore ' ( ABC )
1999 Jill Forster SeaChange Manna from heaven ABC TV Catherine McClements - Water Rats , Series 4 - Episode 17 , 'Hi Honey I 'm Home ' ( Nine Network ) Lisa McCune - The Potato Factory ( Seven Network ) Sonia Todd - The Potato Factory ( Seven Network )
2000 Anne Phelan Something in the Air We will remember them ABC TV Rhondda Findleton - Grass Roots , Series 1 - Episode 7 , 'Late July , Friday 4pm To 10.30pm ' ( ABC ) Sophie Heathcote - Grass Roots , Series 1 - Episode 8 , 'The Whole Year ' ( ABC ) Anita Hegh - Stingers , Series 2 - Episode 18 , 'Men In The Dark ' ( Nine Network )
2001 Kerry Armstrong SeaChange ABC TV Kate Beahan - Love Is a Four Letter Word ( ABC ) Claudia Karvan - The Secret Life of Us ( Network Ten ) Gina Riley - The Games ( ABC ) Sigrid Thornton - SeaChange ( ABC )
2002 Juliet Stevenson The Road from Coorain ABC TV Kerry Armstrong - MDA ( Medical Defence Australia ) , Series 1 ( ABC ) Mary Docker - Halifax f.p . , Series 6 - 'Takes Two ' ( Nine Network ) Claudia Karvan - The Secret Life of Us ( Network Ten )
2003 Angie Milliken MDA ABC TV Claudia Karvan - The Secret Life of Us , Series 3 ( Network Ten ) Deborah Mailman - The Secret Life of Us , Series 3 ( Network Ten ) Jane Turner - Kath & Kim , Series 2 ( ABC )
Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama
The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actress in Television Drama is awarded annually by the Australian Film Institute as part of the awards in television for excellence in acting in television drama by an actress. The first Award was made in 1986. Prior to 1990, two awards existed and were called Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini Series and Best Lead Actress in a Telefeature. The awards were merged in 1990 to become Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini Series which in 1991 was renamed Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama. In 2000, the Awards were again awarded in two categories, called Best Performance by an Actress in a Telefeature or Mini Series and Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama. In 2002, the Awards were again combined under the title Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama and two years later, in 2004, the Award was named Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama or Comedy. A separate comedy Award was established in 2006, and this Award became Best Lead Actress in Television Drama.