The South Australian Premier has expressed strong opposition to the participation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah in the upcoming Adelaide Writers’ Week, as revealed in a letter addressed to the event’s organizing board. This three-page correspondence, which was first shared in full by the Sunday Mail, carries the signature of Peter Malinauskas and is dated January 2.
In his letter, Malinauskas articulates that he believes it would not serve the public interest to feature Abdel-Fattah in the 2026 program, particularly in light of the recent Bondi terror attack. He cites media reports referencing comments made by the author that have raised concerns. "Her appearance contradicts the current community aspirations for unity, healing, and inclusivity," the premier asserted.
To bolster his argument, he pointed to several public statements and actions that have been interpreted as antisemitic, claiming that her involvement could incite disunity within the community. The letter states, "I firmly believe that the remarks and actions attributed to Dr. Abdel-Fattah transcend acceptable public discourse, being at worst antisemitic and hateful, or at best deeply offensive and disrespectful."
Furthermore, he emphasized that any behavior or speech that is insulting, racist, or promotes religious discrimination is entirely unacceptable. He added, "My government categorically condemns and disavows all forms of racism or antisemitism, including the aforementioned remarks and actions linked to Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah."
Abdel-Fattah had initially been invited to participate in the 2026 festival by Louise Adler, the festival’s artistic director. However, following the premier's intervention, the board of the Adelaide Festival moved to revoke this invitation. Adler, who is a daughter of Holocaust survivors and a prominent progressive voice in the Australian publishing world, resigned from her position in protest against this decision after publishing an opinion piece in The Guardian.
In a significant turn of events, the newly appointed Adelaide Festival board later issued a public apology to Abdel-Fattah, which she accepted, and promised that she would be invited to the 2027 Adelaide Writers’ Week.
Interestingly, the timing of the premier’s letter coincided with Abdel-Fattah's announcement of potential defamation action against him for his public remarks regarding her. In a statement shared on Instagram, she accused Malinauskas of making damaging statements about her character and stated her refusal to be a target for political attacks. "We have never met, and he has never attempted to reach out to me," she noted.
She further criticized Malinauskas for suggesting a connection between her and the Bondi incident, going as far as likening her to an extremist or terrorist supporter. In his correspondence, Malinauskas mentioned that the board had already expressed reservations about involving Abdel-Fattah even before the Bondi attacks and referenced the resignation of businessman Tony Berg from the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce due to similar concerns about the festival’s lineup.
Typically, it is uncommon for boards to involve themselves in the editorial or production choices made by arts organizations, as these are considered operational decisions. Although Malinauskas acknowledged that the Adelaide Festival operates independently from the government and that he is legally restricted from directing its programming, he reiterated that the government "fundamentally opposes the inclusion" of Abdel-Fattah in the festival and believes it has the right to publicly express this stance.
"I am taken aback by Adelaide Writers’ Week's decision to offer a platform to this author and am genuinely troubled by the board's unwillingness to retract her invitation, especially given the current societal climate, national sentiments, and the pressing need for social cohesion following the Bondi attack," he concluded.
