Overview
- Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026 was cancelled after roughly 180 of about 240 scheduled authors withdrew and all but one board member resigned, with director Louise Adler stepping down in protest.
- The newly appointed Adelaide Festival board retracted the original statement about cultural sensitivity, apologized unreservedly to Dr Randa Abdel‑Fattah, and invited her to appear at the 2027 event.
- Board chair Judy Potter also apologized to Adler, scrapped a planned oversight subcommittee, and pledged curatorial independence for future programs.
- Abdel‑Fattah said she accepts the apology and will consider the 2027 invitation, noting she would attend “in a heartbeat” if Adler returned as director.
- Abdel‑Fattah is pursuing defamation action against South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas over his public comments, as the government faces mounting calls for accountability and an independent review.