The Adelaide Festival canceled Randa Abdel-Fattah’s appearance over cultural sensitivities, sparking backlash over free speech and racism.

Following the Bondi Beach shooting on December 14, the Adelaide Festival canceled Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah's appearance at Writers' Week due to cultural sensitivities, although it denied any connection to the incident. Three board members resigned and more than 70 artists withdrew in protest as a result of the decision. The legal team for Abdel-Fattah demanded accountability and referred to the action as anti-Palestinian racism. The festival is updating its website and has halted its lineup. The controversy has sparked a national conversation about political influence in the arts, cultural inclusion, and freedom of expression.