12 January 2026
The Greens are calling for the Premier to provide more information on his involvement in the decision taken by the Adelaide Festival Board to remove Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from this year’s Writers Week and say they will move to strengthen the independence of the state's arts intuitions.
“Premier Malinauskas seems to be one of the only people in the state who has actually welcomed the decision to disinvite Dr Abdel-Fattah. In fact, he has indicated that his views were sought by the Festival Board on Dr Abdel-Fattah’s involvement in the Festival. This raises serious questions,” said Greens MLC Robert Simms.
“Festival programming should be independent and operate at arm’s length from the Government of the day. The arts should be a space for ideas that challenge us. Indeed this was the view put by the Premier himself back in 2023. https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/archive/2023/03/03/premier-considered-axing-writers-week-funding-over-controversy
“The Premier and Board should clarify why the Premier’s views were sought on Dr Abdel-Fattah's participation. Were his views sought on other writers and is this a precedent that will be applied to other arts events in the future? When did the Premier and his department first have these discussions with the Festival board? Has the Arts Minister, Andrea Michaels or her office had any involvement?"
"The Premier told ABC radio this morning that he made his views on the matter very clear to the board. Given the Government funds the Festival and appoints the board this surely amounts to political pressure being applied. This intervention in the work of the Festival is quite extraordinary."
“Whatever South Australians views on Dr Abdel-Fattah’s writing, this fiasco should alarm anyone who cares about free speech and the independence of our arts institutions.”
“Writers Week is an independent festival, not the Premier’s book club. He doesn’t get to set the reading list.”
“The Greens are carefully reviewing the SA laws that govern our state’s artistic institutions and will seek to strengthen the requirements for independence when parliament resumes after the election.”