Rosemarie Milsom Appointed Director of Adelaide Writers' Week After Controversy

Rosemarie Milsom, who established and leads the Newcastle Writers Festival, has been named the director of Adelaide Writers' Week (AWW) following its downfall in January 2026. The turmoil began when the AWW board rescinded the invitation to Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, prompting a boycott from more than 200 writers, the departure of director Louise Adler, the entire board's resignation, a potential defamation suit against South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, and ultimately, the festival's cancellation. Milsom, under pressure from NSW Liberal MP Aileen MacDonald and Premier Chris Minns, guaranteed participation for booked writers, achieving record attendance. She took on the AWW position after ensuring independence from the new board, with only Abdel-Fattah invited to AWW 2027.