HomeAUSouth Australian Premier Faces Fresh Defamation Allegations Amid Intensifying Writer Dispute

South Australian Premier Faces Fresh Defamation Allegations Amid Intensifying Writer Dispute

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Abdel-Fattah alleged Malinauskas doubled down in a radio interview on January 14, hours after suggesting she was an “extremist terrorist sympathiser” and “directly” linking her to last month’s terrorist attack at Bondi.

“Instead of acknowledging the damage he has caused me, he has chosen to persist, leaving me with no option but to pursue this matter until justice is achieved,” she expressed in a recent social media post.

Peter Malinauskas
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. (Nine)

Abdel-Fattah has successfully raised over $94,000 to fund her legal battle, noting that losing a defamation lawsuit could potentially lead to her family’s financial ruin.

The office of the premier has been approached by 9news.com.au for a statement. 

Malinauskas had written to the former Adelaide Festival Board in support of removing Abdel-Fattah from the approaching Adelaide Writers’ Week due to comments she had made about Zionists.

In her online statement, the writer criticized Zionists, asserting they had “no claim or right to cultural safety.”

The subsequent removal of Abdel-Fattah from the prestigious event triggered a significant backlash, resulting in the departure of 180 writers and prompting the resignations of the Adelaide Writers’ Week director, the former chair, and three board members.

Three members and the chair of the Adelaide Festival Board have resigned following the continued fallout from the controversial decision to dump Australian-Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the renowned writers' week.
Randa Abdel-Fattah. (Nine)

Adelaide Writers’ Week was unable to go ahead and was scrapped for this year. 

Malinauskas made the allegedly defamatory remark at a press conference last week, which Abdel-Fattah said had “terrified” her.

He has repeatedly insisted he has acted in accordance with his conscience and what he believes is right.

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