The South Australian premier has denied exerting pressure on the Adelaide festival board to disinvite Randa Abdel-Fattah as a speaker at Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week, while reiterating that he agreed with the decision.<\/p>\n
The board dumped the Palestinian Australian academic<\/a> as a speaker on Thursday, citing \u201ccultural sensitivity\u201d after the Bondi attack.<\/p>\n \u201cBy law, I as Premier am prevented from directing the Board,\u201d Peter Malinauskas<\/a> said. \u201cI support the intent of this legislation, and have made it clear at every juncture that I would not seek to direct the board.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, when asked for my opinion I was happy to make it clear that the state government did not support the inclusion of Dr Abdel-Fattah on the Adelaide<\/a> Writers\u2019 Week program.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/a><\/p>\n On Saturday, 11 prominent cultural figures wrote to Malinauskas and the board demanding the reinstatement of Abdel-Fattah.<\/p>\n The letter was drafted by Rob Brookman, who has held almost every major leadership role at the festival across three decades, including artistic director and executive director.<\/p>\n The 10 cosignatories, including Neil Armfield, Jo Dyer, Jim Sharman and Anthony Steel, have all previously held senior artistic or administrative positions at the festival.<\/p>\n The letter said the cancellation of Abdel-Fattah\u2019s participation was a grave mistake which had brought the festival and Writers\u2019 Week into disrepute.<\/p>\n \u201cAn about-face may be embarrassing but it is both the right thing to do and will cauterise the growing damage to this much loved and internationally significant South Australian cultural institution,\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n \u201cTo revoke [Abdel-Fattah\u2019s] invitation inevitably and appallingly draws a direct link between her presence and the outrage of the Bondi massacre.<\/p>\n \u201cWickedness thrives in darkness and prejudice thrives in ignorance born of silence. The open discussion of ideas, beliefs, facts and opinion is ultimately the pathway to community cohesion. Silencing and censorship are not.\u201d<\/p>\n The letter also questioned why the board appeared to have abandoned its support for the director of Adelaide Writers\u2019 Week, Louise Adler, who is scheduled to deliver her fourth festival from 28 February to 4 March.<\/p>\n