![\"Kerrie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/19b129947b6b8f4aeec0daaa2794d90b18cf47da.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
January 8, 2026 \u2014 4:36pm<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n The Adelaide Festival has pulled Palestinian-Australian writer Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from the Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week program, citing concerns about \u201ccultural sensitivity\u201d after 15 people were killed in the Bondi shootings last month.<\/p>\n In a statement, the Adelaide Festival board said<\/a>: \u201cWhilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n It continued: \u201cIn this shared time of both mourning and reflection, we have spent the last weeks commencing a review across our current and planned operations and interactions through the lens of the current national community context and the role of Adelaide Festival in promoting community cohesion.\u201d<\/p>\n Abdel-Fattah had been programmed to speak about her new book, Discipline<\/a>. <\/p>\n Responding to the news via a statement<\/a>, the Sydney-based Macquarie University academic said \u201cthis is a blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism and censorship and a despicable attempt to associate me with the Bondi massacre\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes this so egregiously racist is that the AF board has stripped me of my humanity and agency, reducing me to an object onto which others can project their racist fears and smears. The Board\u2019s reasoning suggests that my mere presence is \u2018culturally insensitive\u2019; that I, a Palestinian who had nothing to do with the Bondi atrocity, am somehow a trigger for those in mourning and that I should therefore be persona non-grata in cultural circles…\u201d <\/p>\n As previously reported by this masthead,<\/a> concerns were raised with Bendigo Writers Festival ahead of Abdel-Fattah\u2019s scheduled appearance last year over her previous social media commentary by lobby group 5A. It referenced a series of posts from Abdel-Fattah, including ones it asserted had said Jews had \u201cno claim to cultural safety\u201d and that institutions that considered \u201cfragile feelings of Zionists\u201d were \u201cabhorrent\u201d.<\/p>\n Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week (AWW) sits under the banner of the Adelaide Festival but has its own director, Louise Adler; it is held in late February\/early March annually. Adler was not able to be reached for comment on Thursday.<\/p>\n Prominent authors have withdrawn from the program in solidarity with Abdel-Fattah, including Michelle de Kretser, Professor Yanis Varoufakis, Professor Peter Greste, Dr Evelyn Araluen, Dr Melissa Lucashenko, Dr Amy McQuire, Professor Clare Wright, Professor Chelsea Watego, Dr Bernadette Brennan, Hannah Ferguson and Amy Remeikis.<\/p>\n The festival statement said the board had established a sub-committee to oversee an ongoing board-led review, and to guide decisions about Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week in the near and longer terms. \u201cThis includes ongoing engagement with relevant government agencies and the appointment and\/or advice of external experts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand these Board decisions will likely be disappointing to many in our community. We also recognise our request to Dr Abdel-Fattah will be labelled and will cause discomfort and pressure to other participants. These decisions have not been taken lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n The office of the premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, told this masthead the premier supported the decision of the Adelaide Festival board.<\/p>\n Following Abdel-Fattah\u2019s removal, The Australia Institute withdrew its support and sponsorship of events from the literary festival.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cThe Australia Institute has valued being part of discussions at the event, which in the past have promoted bravery, freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas,\u201d it said in a statement. \u201cCensoring or cancelling authors is not in the spirit of an open and free exchange of ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n Ahead of last year\u2019s Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week, festival director Louise Adler told this masthead<\/a> she had brought together writers \u201cwho have thought more deeply than most of us can in our ordinary lives about issues, be they personal or public\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI would hope that as citizens of Australia and of the world we would care deeply about the horrors we are witnessing internationally, that our collective and individual voices would in fact be loud and clear in defence of humanity,\u201d Adler said at the time.<\/p>\n Get the day\u2019s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n From our partners![\"Palestinian-Australian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/fc201c38e73fc95d51c0d0a1a62c904630c38d6e.jpeg\")
Palestinian-Australian writer Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah.Tom Toby<\/p>\n![\"Adelaide](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4aa2d3952862062e50ef0a17cd25dcc9fbbac935.jpeg\")
Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week director Louise Adler.Eddie Jim<\/p>\n![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767860773_84_fc201c38e73fc95d51c0d0a1a62c904630c38d6e.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n