In a stunning reversal, the Adelaide Festival Corporation has formally apologised and reinstated Australian-Palestinian author Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah to Adelaide Writers' Week, weeks after her exclusion triggered a political firestorm, mass author boycotts, and the cancellation of the 2026 program.
Festival Board Executes Dramatic Backflip
The corporation issued an extraordinary statement on Thursday, retracting its initial decision from 8 January 2026 to exclude Abdel-Fattah. The board had originally claimed featuring her would be "culturally insensitive" so soon after the December massacre at Bondi Beach.
"We retract that statement," the corporation declared. "We have reversed the decision and will reinstate Dr Abdel-Fattah’s invitation to speak at the next Adelaide Writers’ Week in 2027. We apologise to Dr Abdel-Fattah unreservedly for the harm the Adelaide Festival Corporation has caused her."
The statement admitted the corporation "fell well short" of its goal to uphold intellectual and artistic freedom. The new board chair, Judy Potter, also addressed the fallout from the resignation of festival director Louise Adler, praising Adler's "strong convictions" and "principled stand."
Fallout and Defamation Proceedings Continue
The initial decision to remove Abdel-Fattah sparked immediate and widespread backlash. Dozens of authors withdrew from the festival in protest, leading to the complete collapse of the Writers' Week 2026 program and Adler's resignation, which she attributed to political interference.
Despite the festival's apology, the political and legal fallout is far from over. Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah has launched defamation proceedings against South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.
In a social media statement, Abdel-Fattah accused the Premier of making repeated public comments about her character without having met her. She alleged he publicly suggested she was "an extremist terrorist sympathiser" and directly linked her to the Bondi atrocity, calling it a "vicious personal assault." Premier Malinauskas has stated he is not aware of receiving a concerns notice.
Calls for Accountability and Independent Review
Greens MLC Robert Simms has renewed calls for Premier Malinauskas to apologise for his role in the saga. Simms argued the chain reaction caused by government involvement inflicted "serious wounds" on the festival and the broader arts sector, demanding an independent review.
The Adelaide Festival Corporation has also taken steps to address internal governance, confirming it has scrapped a previously announced subcommittee set to review Writers' Week operations. The board committed to the "curatorial independence" of the festival director while maintaining its overarching responsibility.
With Abdel-Fattah reinstated for 2027 and the festival board publicly conceding fault, significant pressure remains on the South Australian state government as the cultural and political repercussions continue to unfold.
