Overview
- A January 2 letter from Premier Peter Malinauskas to board chair Tracey Whiting urged removing Randa Abdel‑Fattah from Adelaide Writers’ Week as not in the public interest and described her past statements as beyond reasonable debate.
- The premier warned the Adelaide Festival board it risked accusations of hypocrisy and public ridicule if it retained her on the program following the Bondi terror attack.
- The board rescinded Abdel‑Fattah’s invitation on January 8, prompting more than 180 withdrawals, senior resignations including director Louise Adler, and the cancellation of the 2026 event.
- A newly composed board on January 15 issued an unreserved apology to Abdel‑Fattah and invited her to appear at Writers’ Week 2027.
- Abdel‑Fattah has denied antisemitism and served a second defamation concerns notice to the premier over January 14 radio comments, after an initial notice last week, while her lawyer called the premier’s letter coercive and noted the government’s control over board appointments and funding.