Author Randa Abdel-Fattah sues Bendigo Writers Festival organisers

Randa Abdel-Fattah, a Palestinian Australian author and academic, has filed a lawsuit against the organizers of the 2025 Bendigo Writers Festival, alleging discrimination based on her political beliefs or activities. The suit targets the Greater Bendigo City Council and La Trobe University, who co-hosted the event. The legal action follows a controversial code of conduct issued to festival participants shortly before the event’s start, which led to widespread backlash and the withdrawal of more than 50 attendees. The festival, originally scheduled for August 2025, was ultimately canceled after the controversy erupted. According to Abdel-Fattah’s lawyer, Michael Bradley of Marque Lawyers, the code of conduct was effectively used to exclude the author from the festival. He claimed the document contained provisions related to the definition of antisemitism that were unacceptable to Abdel-Fattah. “They knew she wouldn’t agree to it,” Bradley stated, adding that the code was crafted to ensure her exclusion based on perceived political views. The legal complaint has been submitted to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, marking the formal beginning of the dispute. The controversy began when La Trobe University received a letter from a group of Jewish academics expressing concerns about Abdel-Fattah’s participation in a panel discussion sponsored by the university. Documents obtained through a freedom of information request revealed that the university communicated these concerns to the city council ahead of the festival. In response, the council opted to cancel the 2025 edition of the festival and announced its intention to resume the event in 2027. La Trobe University’s vice-chancellor, Theo Farrell, recently confirmed that the institution would not participate in the 2027 festival and would seek alternative methods to support the arts in Bendigo. Abdel-Fattah’s legal team is seeking financial compensation, a public apology, and assurances from both the council and the university regarding their commitment to free political expression in the future. Her lawyer emphasized the personal and professional toll the incident has taken on his client. “This has had direct ongoing effects in terms of book sales, but also reputationally, it further entrenched the idea that she is some kind of persona non grata in public spaces,” Bradley said. He added that Abdel-Fattah had not entered into legal action lightly, indicating that the situation had reached a breaking point for her. La Trobe University responded to the lawsuit by stating it had been informed of the matter but would not provide further comments due to the ongoing legal proceedings. Similarly, the Greater Bendigo City Council declined to make any statements regarding the case. Both organizations have remained silent since the cancellation of the 2025 festival, leaving many questions unanswered about the specific reasons behind the decision to withdraw from hosting the event. The incident has sparked broader discussions about the role of codes of conduct in public forums and the balance between ensuring respectful discourse and protecting individual rights to express political opinions. While the legal battle continues, the outcome could influence how similar festivals and institutions handle contentious topics in the future. For now, the focus remains on the tribunal process, with the hope that clarity will emerge about the nature of the alleged discrimination and the responsibilities of event organizers in fostering inclusive environments.