BONUS: Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah on the price of speaking out

BONUS: Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah on the price of speaking out

Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah is back in the headlines after being removed from the Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026 program in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.

Festival organisers say the decision wasn’t about linking Randa or her work to the attack, but about concerns that, based on her past public statements, her appearance could be culturally insensitive at this time. Randa has strongly rejected that explanation, accusing the festival of anti-Palestinian racism, censorship, and of trying to associate her with the Bondi massacre.

Dozens of high-profile authors, including Zadie Smith, Helen Garner, Hannah Ferguson and Peter Greste, have pulled out of the festival in solidarity.

In this episode, we revisit Antoinette Lattouf’s conversation with Randa on The Weekend Briefing, where she spoke candidly about a similar controversy at the Bendigo Writers Festival, the personal cost of sustained public attacks, and what it’s like to keep speaking out amid public scrutiny.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episoder(2577)

Pt 2: Matt Acton on what it’s like to have your child targeted by an online predator

Pt 2: Matt Acton on what it’s like to have your child targeted by an online predator

Big tech is under fire for failing to protect Aussie kids from online sexual abuse, including a sharp rise in sextortion and abuse via video calls and livestreams. Reports to the Australian Federal ...

9 Feb 11min

Violent clashes at Herzog protests + Pt 1: The platforms live-streaming abuse

Violent clashes at Herzog protests + Pt 1: The platforms live-streaming abuse

Tuesday Headlines: Violence erupts at Sydney protests against Israeli President’s visit, King Charles 'ready to support' police investigation into Prince Andrew, Communications Minister seeks urgent m...

9 Feb 22min

Trump slams Bad Bunny's Super Bowl + Australia’s definition of terrorism

Trump slams Bad Bunny's Super Bowl + Australia’s definition of terrorism

Australia’s definition of terrorism was set up after the Sept 11 terror attacks, but now the world and Australia have changed dramatically. In 2026, the landscape of terror and radicalization is compl...

9 Feb 14min

Christchurch terrorist seeks retrial + Why Isaac Herzog is in Australia

Christchurch terrorist seeks retrial + Why Isaac Herzog is in Australia

Monday Headlines: Sussan Ley could face leadership spill within the week, Sydneysiders told to avoid non-essential travel during Israeli President’s visit, Tropical Cyclone Mitchell approaches Exmouth...

8 Feb 24min

BONUS: What it takes to become a female pop star

BONUS: What it takes to become a female pop star

Chappell Roan took home the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2025, clocked more than 68 million streams in the first 6 months of 2024 and she's currently touring Australia, headlining Laneway music festi...

7 Feb 15min

Sherele Moody’s stepfather was a child killer: from trauma to advocacy

Sherele Moody’s stepfather was a child killer: from trauma to advocacy

At just 19 years old, Sherele Moody’s life was irrevocably changed when she learned her stepfather had murdered a child in the home he shared with her, her siblings and their mother. Since then Sherel...

6 Feb 40min

Epstein Files: A prince fell, is a PM next? + Tony Mokbel freed

Epstein Files: A prince fell, is a PM next? + Tony Mokbel freed

Hundreds of new 'Jeffrey Epstein files' were dropped this week, with more damaging allegations about high-profile politicians. The British PM Keir Starmer’s leadership is now under serious threat afte...

6 Feb 16min

Pauline’s pitch to the Coalition + Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show

Pauline’s pitch to the Coalition + Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show

Friday Headlines: Deadline looms for Coalition reunion, Penny Wong defends Israeli President’s visit among death threats, Queensland man charged with 596 child abuse offences, child vaccination rates ...

5 Feb 22min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
i-retten
stopp-verden
popradet
fotballpodden-2
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-ness
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk