dailynewsnblog
Louise Adler says Adelaide festival turmoil a ‘masterclass in poor governance‘
Caitlin Cassidy
Louise Adler, the former director of Adelaide writers’ week, has told the ABC’s 7.30 program the turmoil surrounding the festival will be looked back on as a “masterclass in poor governance” and an “act of cultural vandalism”.
Adler said it would have been “untenable” for the event to go ahead this month after 180 writers pulled out.
I think this is a landmark, a watershed moment in the history of Adelaide writers’ week … We’ve had a succession of dramas of this sort, where political interference and donors and lobby groups have been able to come in and have an influence and an effect on what is programmed and what is not programmed.
Asked if the board was under pressure to remove Randa Abdel-Fattah from the lineup before the Bondi terror attack, Adler said she “wouldn’t know” if there was pressure exerted from the premier’s office or outside influences but there had been a “long story” of pro-Israel lobbyists arguing against the inclusion of Palestinian writers in festivals she had directed.
Adler said she was “quite confident” Adelaide writers’ week would be resurrected from 2027 and “rise from the ashes”.
From my point of view, there’s a very important lesson in here for the arts community, and those people who feel committed to a practice of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and inclusivity and civil discussion.
Key events
11 fires still active in Victoria, officials working to see residents return home
Victoria fire officials are warning residents to stay focused on safety efforts even though all fires in the state have been downgraded to watch and act warnings or lower. 11 are still active.
Chris Hardman, the chief fire officer at Forest Fire Management Victoria, said it was still “incredible dangerous” in many areas where fire has moved through, pointing to the danger of unsound trees. He said crews were working to provide access to those who have evacuated and have not yet been able to return home.
Hardman told ABC News this morning:
The priority for us at the moment is clearing roadsides and getting community back in to properties as quick as possible, and doing everything we can to help farmers get fodder and other critical care to their stock.
… The last thing we [want] is more people being killed and injured by going into areas that have not been made safe. But crews will be making those areas safe as a priority.
Hardman noted that it was still early in the summer and the threat of lighting or new fires would remain in an extremely challenging fire season.
Publisher to pause promotion of books by Craig Silvey after charges laid
Craig Silvey’s publisher, Allen & Unwin, is putting promotional work for the 43-year-old author on hold while he faces allegations of possessing and distributing child exploitation material.
Police carried out a search warrant at Silvey’s WA home on Monday where detectives allegedly found him “actively engaging with other child exploitation offenders online”.
He appeared before the Fremantle magistrates court yesterday charged with distribution of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material and is due to appear in court again next month.
Last night Allen & Unwin said in a statement that the allegations were “deeply distressing” and extended sympathy to all survivors of child exploitation and their families.
The publisher said it would not promote Silvey’s work while the case was ongoing.
We acknowledge this is an active police matter, and that Mr Silvey is entitled to procedural fairness and a presumption of innocence until the matter is dealt with by a court.
Given the gravity of the charges, Allen & Unwin will pause promotional activity of Mr Silvey’s work while the legal process takes its course.
We are unable to provide further comment while this matter is before the courts.
Michele Bullock defends besieged US Fed chair
The Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, has joined 10 other leading central bankers from around the world to defend the embattled US Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, amid a concerted attack from the Trump administration.
Bullock, along with the heads of the Bank of England, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Canada and others, signed a statement last night saying that they stood in “full solidarity” with Powell after the after the US Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into him.
The legal action relates to alleged corruption in the refurbishment of the Fed’s Washington headquarters but has been denounced by Powell as punishment for his resistance to Donald Trump’s calls for more interest rate cuts.
The statement said:
We stand in full solidarity with the Federal Reserve system and its chair Jerome H. Powell.
The independence of central banks is a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability in the interest of the citizens that we serve. It is therefore critical to preserve that independence, with full respect for the rule of law and democratic accountability.
Chair Powell has served with integrity, focused on his mandate and an unwavering commitment to the public interest. To us, he is a respected colleague who is held in the highest regard by all who have worked with him.
Read our full story here:
Good morning
And happy Wednesday. Nick Visser here to take the blog reins today. Let’s see what the news holds.
UK may adopt Australia’s social media ban
Australia’s ban on under-16s using a range of social media apps could be copied by the UK after the nation’s prime minister told MPs that he was considering a similar scheme after becoming concerned about the amount of time children and teenagers are spending on their phones.
The British prime minister, Keir Starmer has previously opposed banning social media for children, believing such a move would be difficult to police and could push teenagers towards the dark web.
However, with cross-party political support growing for such a ban, Starmer told a meeting of the parliamentary Labour party that he had shifted his position.
“We are looking at Australia, there are different ways you can enforce it,” he told the meeting.
Read our full story here:
Xavier Maher was one of the local people who waited for Jacinta Allan outside the hospital in Alexandra and told AAP those in fire-affected communities just wanted to be heard.
He said having the NBN down was a real blow for morale in a town already cut off from the rest of Victoria due to numerous road closures.
Since the weekend, Maher has held dinner parties to bring people together.
“The best medicine for everyone is humour,” he said. “It’s a tight community and we all look after each other.”
Victoria premier heckled by angry residents on visit to fire-affected communities
A group of angry residents greeted the state premier, Jacinta Allan, when she visited fire-hit communities in central Victoria yesterday amid accusations that her government had not been prepared for the catastrophe that has seen hundreds of homes destroyed, Australian Associated Press reports.
Allan was at Alexandra district health offices to celebrate the efforts of staff who opened the centre to vulnerable and scared residents as a blaze bore down on them on Friday.
After the tour Allan briefed the media about disaster funding available to those affected by bushfires raging across the state.
But she avoided questions about the government’s preparedness failures for the 2026 fire season, stating the focus should be on supporting those affected, not spreading misinformation.
Outside, angry locals gathered after hearing of her arrival on a television news bulletin.
They demanded the premier meet them and answer questions about her support for the Country Fire Authority and rumours the town’s NBN had been cut-off on purpose.
Allan left the health service via the back door as locals spread out across the car park hoping to stop her in her tracks.
When they realised she had left, they yelled “shame” at her staffers.
Louise Adler says Adelaide festival turmoil a ‘masterclass in poor governance‘
Caitlin Cassidy
Louise Adler, the former director of Adelaide writers’ week, has told the ABC’s 7.30 program the turmoil surrounding the festival will be looked back on as a “masterclass in poor governance” and an “act of cultural vandalism”.
Adler said it would have been “untenable” for the event to go ahead this month after 180 writers pulled out.
I think this is a landmark, a watershed moment in the history of Adelaide writers’ week … We’ve had a succession of dramas of this sort, where political interference and donors and lobby groups have been able to come in and have an influence and an effect on what is programmed and what is not programmed.
Asked if the board was under pressure to remove Randa Abdel-Fattah from the lineup before the Bondi terror attack, Adler said she “wouldn’t know” if there was pressure exerted from the premier’s office or outside influences but there had been a “long story” of pro-Israel lobbyists arguing against the inclusion of Palestinian writers in festivals she had directed.
Adler said she was “quite confident” Adelaide writers’ week would be resurrected from 2027 and “rise from the ashes”.
From my point of view, there’s a very important lesson in here for the arts community, and those people who feel committed to a practice of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and inclusivity and civil discussion.
Welcome
Martin Farrer
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you the top local stories this morning before I hand over to Nick Visser.
The former director of Adelaide writers’ week Louise Adler has told the ABC’s 7.30 program the turmoil surrounding the festival will be looked back on as a “masterclass in poor governance” and an “act of cultural vandalism”. We’ll have more on her comments in a moment.
Craig Silvey’s publisher Allen & Unwin is putting promotional work for the author on hold while he faces charges of possessing and distributing child exploitation material. More coming up.
And an angry mob greeted the state premier, Jacinta Allan, when she visited fire-hit communities in central Victoria yesterday, amid accusations that her government had not been prepared for the catastrophe that has seen hundreds of homes destroyed.
Let’s get started.
