Jacinda Ardern Withdraws from Adelaide Writers' Week Over Author Removal Controversy
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern withdrew from the Adelaide Writers' Week following the Adelaide Festival board's decision to remove Palestinian-Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah from the program.
Ardern's withdrawal was part of a massive exodus from the festival, which is scheduled to begin on February 28. The Adelaide Festival board announced on Thursday that it was removing Abdel-Fattah from the event, citing "national grief" and "community tensions" triggered by the Bondi shooting that occurred on December 14. The board referenced Abdel-Fattah's past statements as the basis for the removal, with conservative Jewish groups having previously highlighted her sharing of posts critical of Israel on social media.
The timing of the removal announcement proved controversial, occurring on the same day that a royal commission into anti-Semitism and social cohesion was announced.
Ardern's decision to withdraw was joined by 113 other documented withdrawals by Monday at 4pm. Notable figures departing alongside Ardern included author Trent Dalton, journalists John Lyons, Sarah Ferguson, Louise Milligan and Amy Remeikis, and international guests Zadie Smith and Yanis Varoufakis.
The scale of withdrawals triggered dramatic consequences for the festival's leadership. Board chair Tracey Whiting announced her resignation on Sunday. Three additional board members quit at an extraordinary board meeting on Saturday: journalist Daniela Ritorto, businesswoman Donny Walford, and lawyer Nick Linke. These departures left only three voting members, meaning the board no longer had a quorum.
The Adelaide Festival board made no further public comment following the initial announcement of Abdel-Fattah's removal. The festival disabled comments on its social media pages over the weekend.
Marque Lawyers managing partner Michael Bradley, representing Abdel-Fattah, characterised the board's actions as morally indefensible, noting that the reaction from the community evidenced this position. Government pressure had influenced the decision, with South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas and federal cabinet minister Madeleine King both indicating opposition to Abdel-Fattah's participation.
Former Adelaide Writers' Week director Jo Dyer criticised the board's handling of the situation, stating that the decision had damaged the international standing of one of Adelaide's most beloved organisations.