A newly revealed letter shows the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, directly pressured the board of the Adelaide Festival to remove Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the 2026 Adelaide Writers' Week programme. The intervention, which the author's lawyer has labelled "coercive," preceded the board's decision to drop Abdel-Fattah and later cancel the entire literary event.
Premier's Coercive Intervention Detailed
In a three-page letter addressed to the board's then-chair, Tracey Whiting, Premier Malinauskas laid out his strong opposition to Abdel-Fattah's inclusion. The correspondence, written days before her exclusion, warned the festival risked public ridicule and accusations of hypocrisy if it proceeded with her appearance.
Malinauskas acknowledged that freedom of speech is fundamental but argued that statements attributed to Dr Abdel-Fattah went "beyond reasonable public debate." He expressed surprise at the initial decision to platform her and deep concern that the board was not prepared to reverse it.
Link to Bondi Attack and Government Pressure
A central part of the premier's argument hinged on the national mood following the Bondi terror attack. He stated that keeping Abdel-Fattah on the programme would be contrary to the board's responsibility to the festival, especially given the need for social cohesion.
The premier explicitly threatened that his government would not hesitate to publicly criticise the board's stance if it did not comply. The board removed Randa Abdel-Fattah just six days after receiving the letter and announced the cancellation of Adelaide Writers' Week shortly thereafter.
Legal Backlash and Accusations of Defamation
In response, the Palestinian author's lawyer, Michael Bradley, condemned the premier's actions. He described the letter as "obviously coercive" and said it would have left the board feeling it had no choice but to comply, fundamentally undermining its independence.
Bradley highlighted that the Malinauskas government appoints the board and provides most of the festival's funding. He also accused the premier of wrongfully linking Abdel-Fattah to the Bondi attack, despite her having "nothing to do with Bondi."
The controversy has escalated legally. Last week, it was reported that Randa Abdel-Fattah's lawyers issued a concerns notice threatening defamation proceedings against Premier Malinauskas. She has described parts of his commentary as a "vicious personal assault."
