SA Premier Malinauskas and the Israel Lobby have made the alternative Adelaide Writers Week a knock-out success. The “Constellation” session featuring Louise Adler and Randa Abdel-Fattah has sold out, with hundreds on the waitlist. What’s the scam?
The scam is South Australia’s Premier, Peter Malinauskas spectacular own goal in leaning on the Adelaide Festival Board to ‘uninvite’ Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from attending this year’s Adelaide Writers Week, resulting in Louise Adler resigning, writers cancelling, the Board imploding, and the event being cancelled.
The result is an alternative festival packed to the rafters. The Streisand effect at work.
The Adelaide writing community, led by Writers SA, has banded together and managed to rustle up enough support to organise an alternative for this year under the Constellation banner – Not the Writer’s Week.
On March 1, Louise Adler will be talking to Randa Abdel-Fattah on stage at a packed Adelaide Town Hall.
MWM is the venue sponsor for the event, and we will be hosting a panel session featuring veteran journalists Peter Greste and Michael Delahaye on the very topical issue of Press Freedom – register here. An invitation has been sent to Peter Malinauskas’ office.
Constellations to rise as Adelaide writers get another chance
Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim has lived in Australia for 30 years. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.