Promotional activities for the work of celebrated Western Australian author Craig Silvey have been suspended by his publisher, Allen & Unwin, following serious criminal charges laid against him. The 43-year-old writer, best known for the award-winning novel Jasper Jones, faced Fremantle Magistrates Court this week accused of distributing child exploitation material and communicating with paedophiles online.
Publisher's Response and Legal Process
In a statement released on Tuesday night, Allen & Unwin confirmed it would pause all promotional activity for Silvey's work. The publisher described the allegations as "deeply distressing" and extended its sympathies to survivors of child exploitation and their families.
The statement acknowledged the matter is an active police case and that Silvey is entitled to procedural fairness and the presumption of innocence. However, given the gravity of the charges, the publisher decided to halt promotion while the legal process unfolds. The company declined to comment further while the case is before the courts.
Immediate Fallout in Education and Community
The repercussions extended swiftly into the education sector. Western Australia's Education Minister, Sabine Winton, has directed all public schools to stop using Silvey's books for the 2026 school year while the allegations are investigated.
This affects two of his works on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority's prescribed text list: his debut novel Rhubarb and the widely studied Jasper Jones. Minister Winton assured that Year 12 students will not be penalised for referencing these texts in the 2026 ATAR literature exam if they had studied them previously.
In a further community response, the City of Subiaco announced that Silvey would no longer be associated with its annual young writers' competition, which is open to school-age children across WA.
A Literary Career on Hold
Craig Silvey is one of Australia's most recognised contemporary authors. His 2009 novel, Jasper Jones, a coming-of-age story set in a fictional rural town, won numerous awards and was adapted into a feature film starring Toni Collette.
His other notable works include Honeybee, a story about a transgender teenager, and Runt, his first book for younger readers. Runt was made into a feature film in 2024, and its sequel was published in late 2025. Silvey had been actively visiting schools and bookshops nationally to promote the sequel prior to the charges being laid.
The legal proceedings will now determine the future of both the author and the ongoing availability of his influential body of work in Australian schools and bookstores.
