Outgoing chair Kathy Shand says ‘freedom of expression cannot and should not be used as a justification to accept language and conversations that compromise the festival’

The chair of the Sydney writers’ festival board has resigned over concerns about the festival’s balancing of views on matters such as the Israel-Gaza war, saying “freedom of expression cannot and should not be used as a justification to accept language and conversations that compromise the festival”.

The festival board confirmed Kathy Shand’s resignation on Monday, less than a month before the 2025 lineup of writers, speakers and panelists is due to be announced on 13 March.

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