Palestinian-Australian author and researcher Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah has filed a defamation lawsuit against South Australia premier Peter Malinauskas over comments he made that were linked to her axing from Adelaide Writers' Week.

Adelaide

Adelaide's Writers Week has been cancelled after nearly 200 invited authors joined a boycott, leading to the resignation and replacement of the entire festival board. The controversy centers around the removal of Australian-Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the event, following concerns raised by the Premier regarding her previous public comments.

Randa Abdel-Fattah's lawyers have issued a legal notice to the Premier, who has stated his actions were motivated by compassion and a stand against racism. The Premier's political opponent, Liberal leader Ashton Hearn, defended his right to express his views but called for a review of the incident, including concerns raised about the author as early as September of the previous year.

Author sues SA Premier over Writers Week cancellation

Writers Week is no more, scrapped amid a boycott by nearly 200 invited authors. Every single member of the festival board walked and had to be replaced. Now the Premier is facing a legal threat. All of my remarks and actions have been founded in desire for compassion and people treating each other civilly. Australian-Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah's lawyers have issued a concerns notice. She took to social media claiming public statements made by the Premier were a vicious personal assault on her. Enough is enough, she says. She is a human being, not a punching bag. The advocates axing from the event by the previous festival board came after it consulted with the Premier, who raised concerns about the author's previous public comments. Mr Malinowskis was also asked whether he regrets how the Writers Week saga has played out. When I think about the sort of state and the sort of country that I believe we should be aspiring to be, I feel very strongly about standing up against racism in all its forms. Among those coming to the defence of the Premier is direct opponent Liberal leader Ashton Hearn. I think that some of the comments that have been made by this individual are absolutely abhorrent. Even though he sought to jump in and interfere, he was asked for his view and he gave it. But she does want a review of what happened, including concerns about the writer raised as early as September last year. Alan Murrell, 10 News.

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Ottawa

Trump says he doesn’t need Canadian goods or the CUSMA

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Sikhio District

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Tehran

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Washington

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Vero

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Paris

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London

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Minnesota

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Los Angeles

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Minneapolis

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Las Vegas

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Breakdown