Australian Writers Festival Cancelled Over Controversial Author Decision

Adelaide Writers’ Week Cancellation Sparks Controversy

The Adelaide Writers’ Week has been cancelled following a series of speaker withdrawals and board resignations. The event was scheduled to feature Randa Abdel-Fattah, an Australian-Palestinian activist and author, who had been disinvited from the lineup by the festival’s board.

According to a statement released by the festival’s board, the decision to remove Abdel-Fattah from the lineup was made in response to concerns about cultural sensitivity following the December 14 mass shooting at Bondi Beach. The attack resulted in the deaths of 15 people and targeted a Hanukkah celebration.

The festival’s board stated that the removal of Abdel-Fattah had caused “more division” within the community, and they apologized for any distress this decision may have caused to audience members, artists, writers, donors, corporate partners, government officials, staff, and others.

Louise Adler, the director of the event, had previously expressed her opposition to Abdel-Fattah’s removal from the lineup. She wrote an op-ed piece in The Guardian stating that the festival’s decision was a blow to free expression and a “harbinger of a less free nation”.

The cancellation of the Adelaide Writers’ Week has sparked controversy, with several high-profile writers and politicians withdrawing their appearances at the event. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s former Prime Minister, announced that she would not attend the festival, while Peter Malinauskas, the premier of South Australia, had backed the revocation of Abdel-Fattah’s invitation.

The cancellation has also been met with support from several Jewish groups and politicians, who had expressed concerns about Abdel-Fattah’s views on Israel. The event was scheduled to take place in March, but it has now been cancelled due to the controversy surrounding Abdel-Fattah’s removal from the lineup.

Source: Al Jazeera