What's happened
In January 2026, Adelaide Writers Week was cancelled after the festival board disinvited Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, citing cultural sensitivities following the Bondi terror attack. The decision sparked widespread backlash, with over 180 writers withdrawing, board resignations, and accusations of censorship and racism. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas publicly opposed Abdel-Fattah's inclusion, leading to legal threats over defamation.
What's behind the headline?
Political and Cultural Tensions Underpinning the Festival Crisis
The cancellation of Adelaide Writers Week reveals deep fractures in Australia's cultural and political landscape, intensified by the recent Bondi terror attack. The festival board's decision to disinvite Randa Abdel-Fattah, a Palestinian-Australian author known for her outspoken criticism of Israel, was framed as a move to maintain "cultural sensitivity". However, this rationale masks a broader struggle over freedom of expression and the limits of acceptable discourse in a post-terror context.
Premier Peter Malinauskas's intervention, including a letter pressuring the festival board and public statements linking Abdel-Fattah to the Bondi attack, escalated the controversy. His stance reflects political calculations to align with community calls for unity and condemnation of perceived hate speech, but it also raises concerns about governmental influence over cultural institutions and censorship.
The mass withdrawal of over 180 writers, including prominent figures like Zadie Smith and Jacinda Ardern, and the resignation of the festival director Louise Adler, underscore the cultural sector's resistance to what they see as political overreach and suppression of dissenting voices. Adler's framing of the decision as "a harbinger of a less free nation" highlights fears that political pressure is narrowing the space for critical voices, particularly those advocating Palestinian perspectives.
This episode also exposes the complexities of balancing community sensitivities after a terror attack with protecting democratic freedoms. The festival board's apology for how the decision was "represented" but not for the decision itself, and Abdel-Fattah's rejection of that apology as insufficient, illustrate the unresolved tensions.
Looking ahead, this crisis will likely prompt ongoing debates in Australia about hate speech laws, political influence on cultural events, and the boundaries of free expression. The appointment of a new festival board and the invitation extended to Abdel-Fattah for the 2027 event suggest attempts at reconciliation, but the underlying issues remain contentious. For the public, this saga is a vivid example of how cultural events can become battlegrounds for broader societal conflicts, with implications for artistic freedom and social cohesion.
What the papers say
The Independent's Maroosha Muzaffar provides detailed insight into Premier Malinauskas's letter to the Adelaide Festival board, highlighting his concerns about Abdel-Fattah's statements "going beyond reasonable public debate" and his explicit linking of her to the Bondi terror attack, which her legal team contests as defamatory. SBS News offers a comprehensive timeline and context, noting the board's initial hesitation since October 2025 and the political pressures involved, including the controversial exclusion of columnist Thomas Friedman in 2025, which Abdel-Fattah supported.
The New York Times frames the controversy as a reflection of national tensions following the Bondi attack, emphasizing the mass withdrawal of writers and the eventual cancellation of the event. The New Arab and The Times of Israel provide perspectives on the cultural and political backlash, with The Times of Israel detailing Abdel-Fattah's past statements and the accusations of antisemitism, while The New Arab focuses on the broader debate about free speech and censorship in Australia.
Al Jazeera and Reuters highlight the resignation of festival director Louise Adler and the political context, including government moves to tighten hate speech laws and the national day of mourning announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Adler's op-ed in The Guardian, cited by Al Jazeera, criticizes the "extreme and repressive efforts of pro-Israel lobbyists" and warns of a chilling effect on free expression.
Together, these sources illustrate a multifaceted controversy involving cultural freedom, political influence, community sensitivities, and the ongoing impact of a national tragedy, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the events and their significance.
How we got here
The controversy began after a December 2025 terror attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people at a Hanukkah event. The Adelaide Festival board removed Abdel-Fattah from the 2026 Writers Week program, citing cultural sensitivity. Abdel-Fattah, a critic of Israeli policies, denied antisemitism allegations. The decision ignited debates on free speech, censorship, and political pressure in Australia.
Go deeper
- Why was Randa Abdel-Fattah disinvited from Adelaide Writers Week?
- What role did South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas play in the controversy?
- How did the literary community respond to the festival's decision?
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Randa Abdel-Fattah is an Australian writer. Randa was born in Australia and her debut novel, Does My Head Look Big in This?, was published in 2005.
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