The prestigious Adelaide Writers' Week festival has been cancelled entirely after its organisers performed a dramatic U-turn, reinstating and apologising to a Palestinian author they had previously uninvited.
A Controversial Disinvitation and Mass Exodus
Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, an Australian Palestinian author, was originally removed from the 2026 festival line-up. Organisers from the Adelaide Festival Corporation cited concerns over 'cultural sensitivity' following the Bondi Beach terror attack. Dr Abdel-Fattah had faced criticism for past anti-Zionist remarks, including stating that Zionists had no claim to 'cultural safety'.
The decision to exclude her triggered a massive backlash from the literary community. In a powerful act of solidarity, more than 180 writers and commentators withdrew from the event. This talent exodus included high-profile figures such as former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the ABC's Sarah Ferguson.
Festival Axed and Board Steps Down
Facing an unsustainable situation, the Adelaide Festival confirmed on Tuesday that the 2026 event would not proceed. The entire board of directors announced they would step down. In a subsequent statement, the corporation fully reversed its decision regarding Dr Abdel-Fattah and retracted its earlier comments.
"We apologise to Dr Abdel-Fattah unreservedly for the harm the Adelaide Festival Corporation has caused her," the statement read. It acknowledged that the corporation had "fallen well short" of its goal to uphold intellectual and artistic freedom, which it described as a "powerful human right."
Author's Response and Broader Reckoning
On social media, Dr Abdel-Fattah accepted the apology and said she would consider an invitation to participate in the 2027 festival. She framed the episode as revealing a "profound lack of racial literacy" in public institutions and underscoring the urgent need for anti-racism education.
"I accept this apology as acknowledgment of our right to speak publicly and truthfully about the atrocities that have been committed against the Palestinian people," she wrote. She also viewed it as a vindication of collective action "against anti-Palestinian racism, bullying and censorship."
New board chair Judy Potter also apologised to festival Director Louise Adler, whose curated programme for 2026 was scrapped. Adler's resignation was part of a wider boardroom clear-out, with half of the directors quitting over the weekend. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas denied allegations he pressured the board over Dr Abdel-Fattah's initial disinvitation.
In her earlier criticism of the board, Dr Abdel-Fattah connected the Bondi attack to wider colonial violence, stating the controversy highlighted how "settler colonial and white supremacist violence against one marginalised person represents violence against all."
