The Adelaide Festival has ignited a fierce debate over censorship and artistic freedom after its board revoked an invitation to a prominent Palestinian-Australian academic to speak at its Writers' Week event.
Premier Denies Direct Pressure But Voices Opposition
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has denied exerting direct pressure on the Adelaide Festival's board to disinvite Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah. The board cited "cultural sensitivity" following the Bondi attack as the reason for its decision on Thursday.
Malinauskas stated that he is legally prevented from directing the board's actions, a principle he supports. However, he confirmed that when asked for his opinion, he was "happy to make it clear that the state government did not support" Abdel-Fattah's inclusion in the program. He reiterated his agreement with the board's controversial move.
Cultural Leaders Condemn a 'Grave Mistake'
The decision prompted a swift and powerful backlash from within South Australia's arts community. On Saturday, a letter signed by 11 of the state's most prominent cultural figures was sent to the premier and the festival board, demanding Abdel-Fattah's reinstatement.
The letter was drafted by Rob Brookman, a former artistic and executive director of the festival. It was co-signed by a group of esteemed figures including Neil Armfield, Jo Dyer, Jim Sharman, and Anthony Steel, all of whom have held senior artistic or administrative roles at the festival in the past.
The signatories labelled the cancellation a "grave mistake" that had brought both the festival and Writers' Week into disrepute. They argued that revoking the invitation created an "appalling" and direct link between Abdel-Fattah's presence and the Bondi massacre.
"Wickedness thrives in darkness and prejudice thrives in ignorance born of silence," the letter stated. "The open discussion of ideas, beliefs, facts and opinion is ultimately the pathway to community cohesion. Silencing and censorship are not."
Board Accused of Abandoning Principled Stance
The letter also raised serious concerns about the festival board's apparent abandonment of its director, Louise Adler. Adler, who is scheduled to deliver her fourth festival from 28 February to 4 March, had previously been defended by the board in 2023 when she included several Palestinian speakers who faced criticism.
At that time, Premier Malinauskas himself defended the festival's independence, warning that government interference in programming would set a dangerous precedent. He questioned what path it would lead down, suggesting it was "a path, in fact, that leads us into the territory of Putin’s Russia."
The cultural leaders' letter pointedly noted this past stance, stating: "The festival board has previously been admirable in its support of the director’s decisions... the board’s reversal of its principled support for the director and her program at this time is, in our view, antithetical to what the festival and writers week have and should stand for."
The Adelaide Festival board and Louise Adler were contacted for comment following the controversy. The incident has already led to a boycott by nearly 50 writers, deepening the crisis for the internationally significant cultural institution.
