Festival dumping calculated, says Palestinian author Dumped author Randa Abdel-Fattah says attempts to police speech will backfire as more than 100 writers quit a besieged literary festival in solidarity. AAP · Jan 12
If we silence voices we don’t agree with, we’re doing the work of extremists for them I do not need to share Randa Abdel-Fattah’s views to believe that removing her is wrong. This is why I’ve withdrawn from Adelaide writers’ week The Guardian - AU · Jan 11
Morning Mail: costs of Victoria bushfires hit hard; Iran protests death toll soars; Adelaide festival turmoil continues Hundreds of homes and businesses lost in Victoria fires; US weighs up Iran intervention; leadership crisis at Adelaide festival The Guardian - AU · Jan 11
Three board members and board chair resign from Adelaide festival as Randa Abdel-Fattah sends legal notice Resignations follow withdrawal of more than 70 participants in Adelaide writers’ week after Palestinian Australian author disinvited The Guardian - AU · Jan 11
'Foolish': Mabo historian pans festival axing of author A pre-eminent Australian historian has joined a growing list of nearly 100 speakers pulling out of a writers' festival after it dumped a pro-Palestine academic. AAP · Jan 11
Adelaide festival did not dump Jewish columnist from 2024 program despite request from Randa Abdel-Fattah and others Palestinian academic rejects accusations of hypocrisy, saying board resisted attempts to remove Thomas Friedman, while cancelling her invitation this year The Guardian - AU · Jan 11
SA premier denies pressuring Adelaide festival to drop Randa Abdel-Fattah Letter from 11 South Australian cultural leaders labels cancellation of Palestinian-Australian’s participation a ‘grave mistake’ which brought festival into disrepute The Guardian - AU · Jan 10
Writers' mass exodus after festival bans Palestinian Dozens of authors have withdrawn from a major Australian festival over a decision to remove its only Palestinian writer because of "cultural sensitivities". AAP · Jan 9
As authors abandon Adelaide Writers’ Week after cancelling of Randa Abdel-Fattah, is free speech in tatters? The decision by the Adelaide Festival Board to exclude Palestinian Australian author and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah from Adelaide Writers’ Week on the grounds of “cultural sensitivity” is based on a dangerously broad and vague criterion for suppressing free speech. The Conversation · Jan 9
Almost 50 writers boycott Adelaide festival after it dumps pro-Palestine academic Randa Abdel-Fattah Helen Garner and Miles Franklin winner Michelle de Kretser among 47 people who have pulled out of annual writers’ festival to protest Abdel-Fattah’s axing The Guardian - AU · Jan 9
Writers' festival drops Palestinian-Australian author The board of a major festival has cancelled the appearance of a prominent Palestinian author citing 'cultural sensitivity' following the Bondi terror attack. AAP · Jan 8
Adelaide festival dumps prominent academic Randa Abdel-Fattah over ‘cultural sensitivity’ concerns after Bondi attack Abdel-Fattah accuses the board of ‘blatant and shameless’ anti-Palestinian racism and censorship, as other authors pull out in solidarity The Guardian - AU · Jan 8
Pro-Palestine academic Randa Abdel-Fattah cleared of wrongdoing after investigation into research grant A suspension on the grant was lifted earlier this month, after a 10-month investigation into potential conflicts of interest The Guardian - AU · Dec 23, 2025
‘I have no interest in the white gaze any more’: Randa Abdel-Fattah on Gaza, boycotts and her new novel Discipline follows a journalist and an academic navigating censorship in the wake of Israel’s war on Gaza – an issue the author is no stranger to herself The Guardian - AU · Aug 30, 2025
Pedestrian.tv · Aug 23, 2025 Bendigo Writers Festival Faced A Mass Walkout Over Its Code Of Conduct, Here’s What Happened Bendigo Writers Festival was meant to kick off this month. Instead, it found itself at the centre of mass withdrawals.
The Guardian - AU · Aug 21, 2025 How the Bendigo writers’ festival’s code of conduct caused a walkout and claims of censorship The last-minute code of conduct and the backlash are the latest in a string of controversies ‘symptomatic of the current environment’ in the arts
The Conversation · Aug 15, 2025 Bendigo Writers Festival has questions to answer over ‘untenable’ code of conduct for authors Around 20 writers, including prominent Palestine advocate Randa Abdel-Fattah and Stella Prize winners Evelyn Araluen, Clare Wright and Jess Hill, have reportedly withdrawn from Bendigo Writers Festival, which opens today.
The Guardian - AU · Aug 14, 2025 Writers’ festival requires ‘complete self-censorship’ over Gaza war, academic claims, as speakers withdraw in protest Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah among those to boycott Bendigo writers’ festival, arguing she cannot appear ‘as a Palestinian’ due to speaker code
The Guardian - AU · Feb 27, 2025 ARC suspends $870,000 grant to pro-Palestine academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, senators told ARC chief Prof Peter Shergold defends decision at estimates hearing but is accused of bowing to allegations in ‘racist’ media
The Guardian - AU · Feb 14, 2025 Education minister accused of ‘political interference’ over review of funding for prominent pro-Palestinian academic Jason Clare has asked Australian Research Council board to investigate $870,000 grant to Randa Abdel-Fattah, who has faced criticism for controversial comments
The Conversation · Jan 16, 2025 The Human Rights Commission has handed down a report on racism at Australian universities. Here’s why it fails Just before universities closed for the year in 2024, the Australian Human Rights Commission released its Interim Report on Racism at Australian Universities.
The Guardian - AU · Oct 11, 2024 For the Palestinians who fled to Australia, the home they deeply miss no longer exists Gazans who escaped and the diaspora community speak of the anguish and guilt of watching a year-long war from afar
The Guardian - AU · May 8, 2024 Australian literature has long been ‘hijacked by activists’. This has made it richer. Let’s not go backwards Seeking to dismiss a judge for being passionate about a cause pertaining to the safety and liberation of her people reeks of a desperation to silence a critical voice
The Guardian - AU · Feb 9, 2024 ‘Life-saving work’: Albanese government under pressure to reverse UNRWA funding suspension More than 12,000 pro-Palestinian advocates have penned letters to their federal representatives calling for the UN funding to be reinstated
The Guardian - AU · Nov 10, 2023 ‘Red-hot anger’: Why Labor is on a ‘tightrope’ over its response to the Israel-Hamas war Calls for ALP to support a ceasefire grow as rank and file members quit and migrant communities in heartland seats threaten to turn away