Rosemarie Milsom, the founder and director of the Newcastle Writers Festival, has been appointed as the new director of Adelaide Writers' Week (AWW), following the festival's dramatic collapse earlier this year over the disinvitation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. Milsom steps into the role vacated by Louise Adler, who resigned after the AWW board overruled her decision to invite Abdel-Fattah, sparking a boycott by over 200 writers and the resignation of the entire board.
Milsom, who has run the Newcastle festival since founding it in 2013, was watching the Adelaide controversy unfold in January with keen interest. She had already booked Abdel-Fattah for the Newcastle festival five months earlier, anticipating potential backlash. Unlike Adelaide, Newcastle faced political pressure from NSW Liberal MP Aileen MacDonald, who questioned the festival's state funding, and Premier Chris Minns, who called the festival "crazy" and "divisive." However, Milsom stood firm, refusing to disinvite any writers and directly reassuring participants. The Newcastle festival saw record attendance, a 27% increase, with no protests or boycotts.
Milsom credits her background as a journalist and her Bosnian Muslim heritage, having lost family in the Bosnian genocide, for her resilience. She emphasizes the importance of curatorial independence and strong governance, noting that weak boards often capitulate to pressure. "When governance fails, you get what happened in Adelaide," she says. Milsom has secured assurances from the new AWW board that they will uphold independence and have policies in place to prevent future interference.
Looking ahead, Milsom has already invited Abdel-Fattah to the 2027 AWW as a gesture of apology, though the author has yet to accept. She expresses excitement about the role and hopes the festival will move past the controversy. "If you're still hand-wringing over what happened in 2026, then that's really on you," she says.
