ADELAIDE – The 2026 Adelaide Writers’ Week is facing a leadership crisis and a historic mass exodus as nearly 50 authors—including some of the biggest names in global literature—have withdrawn in protest over the removal of Palestinian-Australian author Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah from the lineup.
The controversy has escalated rapidly over the weekend, resulting in the resignation of three festival board members and the temporary removal of the event’s entire program from its official website.
The Decision
On Thursday, January 8, the Adelaide Festival Board announced it had cancelled Dr. Abdel-Fattah’s scheduled appearance to discuss her new novel, Discipline. The board cited “cultural sensitivity” and “community cohesion” following the December 2025 terror attack at Bondi Beach.
In a statement, the board clarified that they did not suggest Abdel-Fattah’s work had any connection to the tragedy, but decided to drop her based on her “past statements” and the “unprecedented” national context.
The Backlash
The decision, made by the board without the input of Festival Director Louise Adler, was immediately condemned by literary and human rights advocates as “anti-Palestinian racism” and censorship. Dr. Abdel-Fattah described the move as “despicable,” stating:
”The board’s reasoning suggests that my mere presence is ‘culturally insensitive’… that I, a Palestinian who had nothing to do with the Bondi atrocity, am somehow a trigger for those in mourning.”
As of Sunday, January 11, the boycott has grown to include at least 47 authors, with some reports suggesting the number of total participants withdrawing (including sponsors and moderators) has surpassed 70.
High-profile writers who have joined the boycott include:
- International: Zadie Smith, M. Gessen, Yanis Varoufakis, and Percival Everett.
- National: Helen Garner, Trent Dalton, Michelle de Kretser, Melissa Lucashenko, and Peter Greste.
- First Nations: Every Indigenous author on the program, including Evelyn Araluen and Chelsea Watego, has reportedly withdrawn in solidarity.
Internal Turmoil
The fallout has caused a fracture within the festival’s leadership. Three board members—Daniela Ritorto, Donny Walford, and Nick Linke—resigned on Saturday following an emergency meeting. Meanwhile, staff members of Writers’ Week reportedly sent an email to authors expressing their dismay, signing off with the phrase “best wishes during dark days.”
The Australia Institute and the publisher Pink Shorts Press have also withdrawn their sponsorship and support, dealing a significant financial and reputational blow to the event, which is scheduled to begin in late February.
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