EWF, MWF, Express Media, Writers Vic to stay open on 26 January

23 January 2018 Books+Publishing

The offices of the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF), Express Media, Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) and Writers Victoria will remain open on 26 January in support of the movement to change the date of the Australia Day public holiday.

In an announcement posted on the EWF website, the organisations said ‘individual staff members have chosen to work on January 26’ to ‘express solidarity with First Nations peoples’.

The statement continues: ‘This date marks the beginning of dispossession and marginalisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For many First Nations people, January 26 is a sad and painful day, a reminder of the lasting and traumatic effects this dispossession has caused.’

‘EWF, Express Media, MWF and Writers Victoria work closely with First Nations writers and storytellers, and are committed to supporting these communities.’

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, Melbourne-based publisher Affirm Press will also remain open on 26 January after its staff unanimously voted to protest the public holiday. Affirm Press will select another day in the coming weeks as a replacement holiday.

Category: Local news