An Australian publisher has scrapped a children's book over comments made by the book's illustrator on the Bondi beach shooting, which the publisher says violates its policy on antisemitism.
The move has prompted several prominent Australian writers to cut ties with The University of Queensland Press (UQP) and sparked allegations of political censorship.
Thousands of copies had already been printed for 'Bila, A River Cycle'—an Indigenous children's book written by poet Jazz Money and illustrated by Matt Chun. The controversy erupted after Chun published an essay on his Substack newsletter critiquing public responses to the Bondi shooting, where fifteen people were killed at a Jewish festival on December 14, 2025.
In his essay, Chun accused the 'Australian left' of trying to avoid accusations of antisemitism while criticizing how media represented the shooting. He also called out Chabad and Rabbi Eli Schlanger for their support of Israel's military actions.
The University of Queensland stated that Chun's comments were 'abhorrent and hateful' towards the victims and could not be condoned.
Many writers, including acclaimed poet Evelyn Araluen and Randa Abdel-Fattah, publicly expressed disappointment with UQP's decision, suggesting it sets a dangerous precedent for censorship in literature.
Money stated that their relationship with UQP is now over and that the pulping of 'Bila' sets a concerning standard for politically driven literary censorship.
UQP is currently considering recycling options for the thousands of books already printed, while the police continue to assess Chun's public statements as part of their engagement with hate crime units.
