- Randa Abdel-Fattah
BY SCM LITERARY REPORTER Adelaide, Australia
AUSTRALIA’S biggest book bash has collapsed into a “total shambles” after 180 writers staged a mass walkout—sparked by the “shameful” banning of a Palestinian author.
The world-renowned Adelaide Writers’ Week was dramatically cancelled yesterday as literary heavyweights including Zadie Smith and former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern tore up their invites in a fury over free speech.
The festival was plunged into a death spiral after the board sensationally dumped Australian-Palestinian novelist Randa Abdel-Fattah.
Organisers claimed her presence would be “culturally insensitive” following a horrific terrorist shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in December.
Despite admitting Dr Abdel-Fattah had “no connection” to the tragedy, the board caved to pressure from local community groups and axed her from the bill.
The move backfired spectacularly. Dr Abdel-Fattah slammed the decision as “blatant racism” and “censorship,” while fellow authors accused the festival of acting like the “literary police.”
As the boycott hit triple figures, the festival director Louise Adler—who is Jewish—quit in protest, saying she refused to be “party to silencing writers.”
By Tuesday, with 70 per cent of the speakers gone, the remaining board members threw in the towel and cancelled the entire 2026 event.
In a grovelling apology, the board admitted: “This decision has created more division and for that we express our sincere apologies.”
But Dr Abdel-Fattah wasn’t buying it. She hit back: “I refuse and reject the apology. It is disingenuous and adds insult to injury.”
The “Great Adelaide Exodus” has left the global arts world stunned, with critics warning that the festival’s reputation is now “burnt to a crisp.”
The Adelaide Festival board cancelled Randa Abdel-Fattah’s appearance on January 8, 2026.
They cited “cultural sensitivities” following a terror attack at Bondi Beach in December 2025, where 15 people were killed.
The Victim: Randa Abdel-Fattah is an award-winning academic and author of 11 novels. She was due to discuss her latest book, Discipline.
The Fallout: Major names including British novelist Zadie Smith, New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, and journalist Masha Gessen withdrew in solidarity.
The Result: The festival has been officially cancelled for 2026. The director and almost the entire board have resigned.
