A significant controversy has emerged surrounding the Adelaide Writers’ Festival after the cancellation of Randa Abdel-Fattah, a Palestinian-Australian academic and author, from the program. The festival’s board announced on December 14, 2023, that it had decided “not to proceed” with her scheduled appearance, citing “national grief” and “community tensions” following the tragic Bondi massacre that day.
In a statement, the Adelaide Festival expressed concern that Dr. Abdel-Fattah’s presence would be “culturally insensitive” given the recent events. The board emphasized, “We do not suggest in any way that Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah’s or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi.” Despite this clarification, the specific “past statements” that led to this decision remain unclear. Dr. Abdel-Fattah has previously faced backlash from conservative Jewish groups for her critical posts regarding Israel.
The cancellation has sparked outrage from Dr. Abdel-Fattah, who described the board’s actions as “egregiously racist.” She accused them of attempting to strip her of her humanity, stating, “This is a blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism and censorship.” Dr. Abdel-Fattah further argued that her mere presence as a Palestinian has been deemed threatening and “unsafe” in cultural spaces.
Several prominent writers and academics have expressed solidarity with Dr. Abdel-Fattah. Notable figures, including former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, Stella Prize winner Evelyn Araluen, former political prisoner and foreign correspondent Peter Greste, and two-time Miles Franklin winner Michelle de Kretser, have withdrawn from the festival in protest. “Erasing Palestinians from public life in Australia won’t prevent anti-Semitism,” Dr. Araluen stated. “I refuse to participate in this spectacle of censorship.”
The Australia Institute, a public policy think tank, has also withdrawn its support for the festival, further complicating the event’s landscape. This situation echoes the events of the 2025 Bendigo Writers Festival, where concerns about a code of conduct suppressing discussions on Israel’s actions in Gaza led to significant backlash.
Dr. Abdel-Fattah remains resolute, stating her belief that the literary community will respond in kind to her cancellation. “In the end, the Adelaide Writers’ Festival will be left with panellists who demonise a Palestinian out of one side of their mouths while waxing lyrical about freedom of speech from the other,” she remarked.
The Adelaide Writers’ Week director, Louise Adler, had faced similar pressures in 2023, with calls to withdraw invitations from Palestinian writers due to their views on geopolitical issues. As this debate unfolds, the implications for freedom of expression and representation in Australian cultural events remain at the forefront of public discourse.
