Three years after controversial speech in Brisbane, US author denounces cultural ‘control’, ‘obedience’ and ‘conformism’

Three years after vowing never to return to Australia, author Lionel Shriver says she stands by her controversial keynote speech at the Brisbane writers’ festival in 2016, calling identity politics “fascistic”.

Sunday night marked the American novelist’s first appearance in Australia since that controversial tour, despite her having released two books in the intervening years.