The Adelaide Writers’ Week has been engulfed in controversy following the cancellation of author Randa Abdel-Fattah’s appearance. In a surprise and controversial decision, the festival’s board voted to cancel. This decision sparked a significant national outcry, leading over 180 authors to return in protest. The Fisher incident was as shocking as it was revealing. Louise Adler resigned within days of the festival’s cancellation over its impact, as the festival’s director. It ignited important conversations about free expression and the ways literary events can foster civil discourse.
The issue was first raised when Thomas Friedman was invited to appear at the 2024 Adelaide Writers’ Week. Abdel-Fattah, along with others, had signed a letter advocating for Friedman’s deplatforming due to his controversial article titled “Understanding the Middle East Through the Animal Kingdom.” As tensions brewed, the board soon announced they would cancel Abdel-Fattah’s participation, claiming that her past comments on Friedman posed a concern.
Mass Writer Withdrawals and Board Resignations
The board’s ill-advised decision to cancel Randa Abdel-Fattah’s appearance triggered a firestorm of protest from the literary community. In response, over 180 authors canceled their appearances in protest. They did so because they are angry and frustrated about what they viewed as the trampling of free speech. This wholesale withdrawal indicates just how strong sentiments against the issue run. Most authors view this decision as counter to all that Writers’ Week celebrates in terms of diversity and open dialogue.
Louise Adler’s resignation as director soon trailed in its wake. Her departure was interpreted by many as a literal backtracking, once again, in direct reaction to the tumult that followed after Abdel-Fattah’s cancellation. According to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, this situation reflects broader tensions within the community regarding how literary events should navigate contentious topics.
“That’s a function of a bunch of authors making their own decisions and Louise Adler and her role in that.” – Peter Malinauskas
Former board member Tony Berg has already stepped down in protest. He stated that he could no longer support her approach, indicating a rift within the board regarding its responsibilities and decisions.
“I resigned when I did because I no longer supported Louise Adler, the director of AWW, and the direction she was taking.” – Tony Berg
The Legal Threat and New Board Oversight
In the midst of this controversy, author Randa Abdel-Fattah issued her own legal threats against the festival despite her withdrawal. Curiously, this external threat exacerbated an already charged environment. It was a reminder of just how serious and dangerous the conflict that is still raging today can be.
In reaction to these happenings, a new board has been convened to manage Adelaide Writers’ Week. This decision is intended to bring in new views and culture and replace the turbulence of a year of ceased exploration. The board is central to the Adelaide Festival Corporation Act. It continues to be responsible for making final decisions on which invitations to issue and which diplomats to cancel.
“The [Adelaide Festival Corporation] Act is very clear that it’s a board decision.” – Julian Hobba
Julian Hobba, another former board member, confirmed that these decisions are not taken lightly and emphasized that they reflect collective judgment rather than individual preferences.
Broader Implications on Freedom of Speech
The incident at Adelaide Writers’ Week has opened up some vital conversations about freedom of speech. It raises larger questions about the way this issue is affecting literary events. Premier Malinauskas noted that while civil debate should be encouraged, it must not come at the cost of denying others their right to express differing viewpoints.
“If you support Palestinian statehood and you want to express those views in our country, you’ve got to be willing to have other people express their views too.” – Peter Malinauskas
He further elaborated on the importance of maintaining a balance between expressing diverse opinions and upholding respectful dialogue within public forums.
“But they should understand that the people with whom they are standing, in fact, have actively undermined freedom of speech in the past.” – Tony Berg
We still don’t know what this means for future literary festivals. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the people who live and work on M Street are hopeful. They hope this controversy leads to more robust conversations about freedom of expression and the responsibilities that come with it.
