Sydney Writers' Festival 2022 - Day Three

Joined by my festival friend, we saw three sessions on Sunday 22 May 2022. This was the day after the federal election, and while the full results were still being tallied, it was clear that the Morrison government had lost and that there would be a new Labor government. The whole day felt more hopeful and the election was clearly on the minds of many speakers as we looked forward to a new government and a kinder, gentler nation.

Where Angels Fear To Tread

This session was about defamation and how defamation complaints can be used to censor and silence journalists. I thought this would be an interesting panel given the high profile defamation cases underway here (Ben Roberts-Smith) and overseas (Johnny Depp/Amber Heard) and the recent discontinuation of the Craig McLaughlin case. 

Erik Jensen, founding editor of The Saturday Paper, chaired this panel. Hannah Marshall, a partner at Marque Lawyers, was on hand to explain the legalities of defamation and the reforms needed to support public interest journalism. Investigative journalists Kate McClymont (SMH), best known for uncovering high profile scandals like Eddie Obeid, and Chris Masters (Four Corners) who is one of the journalists being sued by Ben Roberts-Smith, were able to give firsthand accounts of being defendants in defamation cases. 

While they could not speak about current cases, they were able to speak about past cases. McClymont spoke about Obeid, McLaughlin and other cases she has been involved in. McClymont and Masters spoke about the personal toll defamation actions take on journalists and their families. Masters exposed the corruption in the Queensland police force in a 1987 Four Corners program which lead to the Fitzgerald Inquiry on corruption in Joh Bjelke-Peterson's government. This also lead to a decade long defamation case against Masters and the ABC, which they eventually won but was exhausting for all involved.

Jensen said that as an editor, the defamation laws stand between the public and the truth. The panel spoke about the chilling effect that defamation actions can have on journalists and how they have had to learn how to do things differently to protect sources (e.g. using coding in their notes), and the importance of getting multiple on-the-record sources to confirm before publication. McClymont said that you need to approach stories as though you need to prove them in a criminal court. The costs of defamation can be crippling, with Masters arguing that the costs are leverage and that 'economic principles outweigh editorial principles'.

Marshall spoke about some of the reforms proposed to defamation law in an effort to be more balanced. She said that in Australia the balance is in the favour of the plaintiff, making it difficult and costly to defend a case. Often times the cases are brought about by a 'whiff of criticism' but the case itself can do more harm to the plaintiff's reputation than the original story which gave rise to the complaint.

Overall, a great session with lots of thought-provoking discussion. 

Radical Inclusive Rebellious

We bought rush tickets to see this fantastic session. Gamillaroi/Torres Strait Islander actor and writer Nakkiah Lui brought together a panel to showcase authors she is publishing under her new imprint Joan Press. Joan is named after Lui's grandmother, a storyteller and mentor, who was the 'person who taught me not to be invisible'. As such, Joan Press has been created to publish voices who are often excluded from storytelling. Lui introduced two authors who read from their works. 

Maddie Godfrey is a poet who has performed at the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. Their debut poetry collection is How To Be Held (2018) and Joan will publish the forthcoming Dress Rehearsal. Maddie read a number of poems, including one titled 'Harry Styles is Interviewed on a Beach, and the Horizon Aligns with his Sighs'.  [After the session my festival friend and I were approached by an elderly man who wanted to know who Harry Styles was - we did our best to explain.]

Cartoonist and graphic artist Sarah Firth shared her debut work - a collection of graphic essays Eventually Everything Connects, which will be published by Joan. As she read an except called 'Joie de Vivre' aloud, we were able to see the Joie de Vivre illustrations on her website. Firth was delighted to be picked up by Joan, as other publishers rejected the book as it could not be easily categorised.

Sessions like these are fantastic for introducing new authors. I am so pleased we attended.

I was wrong

Our last session for the festival was about changing your mind and admitting your mistakes, especially in a culture which discourages confessing errors. Four speakers were invited to share where they were wrong about something and what they had learned.

Writer and performer Paul McDermott spoke first. He was absolutely hilarious and admitted that he has wasted much of the past three years writing songs about how much he hates Scott Morrison. He sang verses from a number of his songs, including 'Scomo no homo' to the laughter of all present. While humorous, his presentation reminded us of all the missed opportunities and failures of the previous government.

Professor Marcia Langton spoke next. Langton is widely respected for her work on Indigenous issues, having been involved in many government policy reforms over decades of activism. Her presentation was heartbreaking as she listed all of the enquiries and investigations she had been part of that she thought would lead to change. For example, she genuinely believed that the 1980s Royal Commission Into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody would lead to substantive change, but she was wrong as few recommendations were enacted. She said the same of the Stolen Generations reports, juvenile justice inquiry and many more. Langton was also involved in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. She concluded with her hope that new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will adopt this statement and that she will not be wrong. 

Author, activist and feminist, Jane Caro, delivered an impromptu speech on various times she was wrong. Warm and witty, Caro spoke about the need to reflect and change your mind. Caro was followed by David Marr, one of my favourite thinkers and writers. Marr argued that  'a frank admission of error is an important thing' and spoke about how the press and the public are so quick to see a change of mind as weakness. He spoke about the Morrison government and their targeting of marginalised people (e.g. trans youth). He also spoke about some of the mistakes he had made as a young journalist and what the errors taught him.

Well, that was the end of my time at this year's Sydney Writers' Festival. It was great to be back, attending events like this, after living like a hermit for the past two years. With COVID precautions in place, respected by most attendees, I was able to safely attend and feel relaxed in the space. I come home with many memories and a stack of books to read. Special thanks to my festival friend for being a great companion and choosing such good sessions.

Read more about my time at the Sydney Writers' Festival here:

• Day 1 - Includes Sean Kelly, Judith Brett, Jackie Huggins, Melissa Lucashenko, Sarah Krasnostein, Richard Fidler, Sisonke Msimang and Clare Wright
• Day 2 - Includes Barrie Cassidy, Jennifer Down, Hannah Kent, Garry Disher, Damon Galgut and Larissa Behrendt
• Day 3 - Includes Chris Masters, Kate McClymont, Nakkiah Lui, Marica Langton, Jane Caro and David Marr