Magabala Books stands in solidarity with the Festival staff, and the authors and organisations who have withdrawn from 2026 Adelaide Writers Week, as a response to the alarmingly censorial removal from the program of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah by the Adelaide Festival Board.

As this country’s leading First Nations publishing house, our purpose is to support the telling of stories that shape histories and challenge the national narrative about First Nations people, cultures and sovereignty. Over generations, the survival of our communities in the face of ongoing colonial violence is in part due to those who refused to be silenced or erased; those who spoke up despite attempts to deny our existence.

We support Dr Abdel-Fattah and extend our solidarity to the First Nations authors and allies who have chosen to withdraw from Adelaide Writers’ Week as a result of the Board’s decision. We understand deeply the impact of racism and discrimination, anti-Palestinian or otherwise, on the wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Writers’ festivals not only facilitate truth-telling, critical dialogue and connection to stories, ideas and to one another – they’re also an important platform for writers to promote their work and sell books. Show support for the authors who have withdrawn by buying their books, subscribing to their substack or e-newsletters and following them on social media.