Top Australian writers' festival cancelled after Palestinian author barred

Festival of Cowardice: The Cancellation of Randa Abdel-Fattah

Randa Abdel-FattahBoards of directors are a funny bunch. Often lacking expertise, claiming knowledge they do not have and insight that never illuminates, its members can make the cockup the stuff of legend. Instead of minding their own business and leaving the Adelaide Writers’ Week to take place without incident as part of the 2026 Adelaide Festival, an act of oafish meddling took place. The meddling centred on removing one invited author from …

Top Australian writers' festival cancelled after Palestinian author barred

180 authors boycotted the event and its director resigned saying she could not be party to silencing a Palestinian author.

Writers' festival cancelled after swell of outrage

The axing of a Palestinian-Australian author has led to the cancellation of one of Australia's premier writers' festivals...

Australian writers' festival boss resigns after Palestinian author barred

SYDNEY: The director of a leading Australian writers' festival resigned in protest on Tuesday (Jan 13) after the board cancelled an appearance by a Palestinian-Australian author.Scores of participants, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, have boycotted the Adelaide Festival over a deci

Festival Fallout: A Clash of Free Speech and Cultural Sensitivity

Louise Adler resigns as director of Adelaide Writers Week over the disinvitation of a Palestinian-Australian author amid growing tensions on free speech and antisemitism in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting. The festival faces boycotts by prominent authors, igniting a larger debate on censorship and cultural sensitivity.

What led Jacinda Ardern to quit an appearance at Adelaide Writers' Week

The decision to axe scheduled speaker and author Randa Abdel-Fattah from this year's program has prompted an avalanche of withdrawals.