University of Queensland Press Cancels Children's Book Over Illustrator's Controversial Comments
The University of Queensland Press has made the controversial decision to cancel publication of an award-winning Indigenous poet's children's book, citing inflammatory comments made by the book's illustrator about victims of the Bondi beach terror attack. The publishing house announced on Wednesday that it would not proceed with Bila, A River Cycle, written by acclaimed poet Jazz Money and illustrated by Matt Chun.
Illustrator's Comments Spark Immediate Backlash
The university stated its decision stemmed from comments Chun made in an online article that "do not align with the University's policies and values including in light of its adopted definition of antisemitism." In his Substack post titled "We don't mourn fascists," Chun described the Bondi attack victims as "affluent beneficiaries of imperialism" and criticized what he called the "Zionist framing" of media coverage surrounding the tragedy that claimed fifteen lives, including a ten-year-old child.
New South Wales police confirmed their Engagement and Hate Crime Unit is investigating Chun's post, which argued that "Whiteness, Jewishness, and the backdrop of Bondi Beach were enough to bestow every person killed with default innocence and virtue." Chun told media outlets he stood by "every word" of his article, claiming it was "deeply considered and written in close consultation with Jewish comrades" and would "stand the test of history."
Authors Terminate Relationships With Publisher
The cancellation has triggered significant backlash from prominent Australian authors. Award-winning First Nations author Melissa Lucashenko called the move an "egregious decision" and is seeking legal advice about her upcoming book scheduled for publication with UQP next year. Goorie and Koori poet Evelyn Araluen has terminated her relationship with the publisher, rescinding a contract on an upcoming nonfiction book and returning a $2,500 advance.
Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah announced that her current book Discipline would be her "first and last" with UQP, accusing the publisher of indulging "a coordinated outrage campaign designed to intimidate, delegitimise, and chill dissent." Other writers including Natalia Figueroa Barroso and Sara M Saleh have also severed ties with the publishing house in protest.
Financial and Cultural Impact on Indigenous Author
Jazz Money, who has worked with UQP since winning the David Unaipon award for emerging Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers in 2020, expressed deep concern about the precedent set by the cancellation. She believes thousands of copies of her book had already been printed before the decision was made.
"It sucks for me that my book is getting cancelled," Money said. "But the thing to me that is most pressing about this whole story is the precedent that this sets: that even a kids' book about a river written by an Aboriginal person on Aboriginal land can be destroyed because of a right wing media campaign."
The poet emphasized that her book "has not got anything to do with antisemitism or Israel or Palestine" but is instead "about a river" and represents "a beautiful book that is so gentle and lovely."
University Considers Recycling Options
A University of Queensland spokesperson denied reports that the institution was "pulping" Money's book, stating instead that "the books remain in storage while the University considers recycling options." The spokesperson expressed regret about the impact on Money while maintaining the university would "welcome the opportunity to work with Jazz again in the future."
However, Money stated she no longer trusts the publisher she has collaborated with for approximately five years on this project, calling their reasoning for cancellation "disingenuous."
Mixed Reactions From Community Groups
The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed UQP's decision, with president Jason Steinberg commending the university for taking "a stand against hate, vitriol and grotesque propaganda." Steinberg argued that publishing a book whose illustrator expressed such views "would be unacceptable" and contributes to "a putrid environment" for antisemitism.
Meanwhile, Lucashenko criticized the decision as "not only silencing an Indigenous author" but also "caving in to the Murdoch press," referencing coverage by The Australian newspaper which had described Chun's comments as a "tirade against Jews and Zionists."
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Australia's publishing industry regarding free expression, cultural representation, and community sensitivities following the Bondi beach attack that shocked the nation in December.
