Overview
- Author Randa Abdel‑Fattah’s lawyer served a second defamation concerns notice on Premier Peter Malinauskas over remarks he made in a January 14 radio interview.
- The move follows publication of the premier’s January 2 letter urging the Adelaide Festival board to drop Abdel‑Fattah as “not in the public interest” and characterising some of her past statements as antisemitic.
- After the board rescinded her invitation on January 8, more than 180 writers withdrew, most board members resigned, the 2026 Writers’ Week was cancelled, and a new board later apologised and invited her to the 2027 program.
- Malinauskas says the board sought his opinion and that he lacked the power to direct it, and he has not retracted or apologised for his comments.
- Abdel‑Fattah denies antisemitism; her lawyer called the letter coercive and said it improperly linked her to the Bondi attack, while the concerns notice process gives the premier 28 days to make amends.