The beleaguered Adelaide Festival has lost three board members and the board’s chair amid growing fallout from the board’s decision to drop Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from a festival line-up.On Thursday, the board confirmed it had informed Abdel-Fattah she would no longer appear at the Adelaide Writers’ Week, saying it would not be “culturally sensitive” following the Bondi terror attack. The decision prompted a wave of withdrawals from prominent writers in protest, with close to 100 authors reportedly pulling out from this year’s event — including Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Percival Everett, Booker Prize shortlisted British author Zadie Smith, American journalist Masha Gessen and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.The fallout has now engulfed members of the board.
SBS News understands three board members — women’s executive coach Donny Walford, lawyer Nicholas Linke, and journalist and communications professional Daniela Ritorto — resigned following a crisis meeting of the board on Saturday.
Board chair Tracey Whiting confirmed her resignation in a social media post on Sunday evening.”Recent decisions were bound by certain undertakings and my resignation enables the Adelaide Festival, as an organisation, to refresh its leadership and its approach to these circumstances,” she wrote on LinkedIn.
“My tenure as chair has been immensely enjoyable, as has working with the terrific AF team. I look forward to the future success of the Adelaide Festival.”
Linke, a partner of law firm Dentons Australia, confirmed to SBS News his resignation but said he would not make a public comment. The trio’s names no longer appeared on the festival’s website on Sunday. Whiting’s name is still on the site as of Monday. A spokesperson for the Adelaide Festival confirmed the names were removed from the site but made no further comment.
“They were on the website last week, and it’s been updated,” they told SBS News.
Lawyers demand clarification from board
Abdel-Fattah had been scheduled to discuss her new novel Discipline, about an academic and journalist facing censorship, set against the backdrop of the 2021 Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. In its statement announcing its decision last week, the festival board said: “Whilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah’s or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi.”The board has not made clear which specific statements it was referring to.Abdel-Fattah’s lawyers have written a letter addressed to Whiting, asking for the board to specify which past statements triggered the decision.The letter also asks the board and its members to retain all documents — including emails and text messages — that relate to the decision.
“You are each now on notice that these documents may be required for the purposes of litigation,” the letter from Marque Lawyers managing director Michael Bradley, seen by SBS News, reads.
Abdel-Fattah considering position on legal action
Bradley told SBS News Abdel-Fattah was “considering her position” regarding legal action.”She will decide what, if any, action she will take, but it’s pretty obvious that her rights were disregarded by the board and its actions,” Bradley said.”She has the right to pursue, to indicate her rights.”Bradley said the reaction that the board’s decision had triggered “speak for themselves”.Abdel-Fattah was unavailable for comment when approached by SBS News.