‘The Libs have no f***ing idea’ — New Writers’ Week director Jo Dyer slams new government in attack on Facebook

NEWLY appointed Adelaide Writers’ Week director Jo Dyer has made an attack on the new Liberal Government accusing them of having “no f***ing idea” and predicting they “will flog off everything ... to their corporate mates”.

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NEWLY appointed Adelaide Writers’ Week director Jo Dyer has made an attack on the new Liberal Government, accusing them of having “no f---ing idea” and predicting they “will flog off everything ... to their corporate mates”.

Ms Dyer, 47, posted the explosive comments on Facebook late on Saturday after the state election result, putting the Adelaide Festival - which includes Writers’ Week - on the back foot and prompting Festival chief, Rob Brookman to advise her to remove the post.

Treasurer Rob Lucas has labelled the comments as “disappointing” and “disrespectful” to South Australians who voted for a new Liberal Government.

He called on Ms Dyer to issue a public apology “in the interests of the Festival and Writers Week”.

SA-born Ms Dyer, who lives in Sydney and will commute to Adelaide when she starts her new job in June, lamented Labor’s loss as “depressing news” to her 788 Facebook friends.

“Jay Weatherill had a great vision for the state and should have won,” she said, adding: “Jay was so far the best candidate for Premier with — *gosh* actual positive policies. The Libs have no f***ing idea.”

Replying to another friend’s praise for the Weatherill government’s achievements, Ms Dyer noted that the Liberals “will flog off everything that’s not nailed down to their corporate mates”.

Raised in Adelaide, Ms Dyer unsuccessfully sought ALP preselection for the seat of Adelaide in 2001.

News of her Facebook posts come as four department heads were swept from the public service by Premier Steven Marshall’s new broom, including Premier and Cabinet head Don Russell, whose Labor ties date back to the Paul Keating era.

Jo Dyer. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Mr Brookman said he did not believe Ms Dyer’s posts would impact on the Festival’s relationship with the Marshall Government, which would have “better things to do than angst over an injudicious Facebook post”, he said.

“We have cordial relationships with the new Premier and a number of members of the Shadow Cabinet and we look forward to discussing the great contribution that the Festival and Writers Week make to the cultural fabric, vibrancy and economy of the State with our new Minister in the near future.”

“Jo’s comments were removed as a result of a discussion and mutual agreement between Jo and myself,” said Mr Brookman.

Her appointment would not be reviewed, he said.

“She has not yet commenced in the role and has made her comments as a private individual. They clearly do not represent the views of the Festival.”

Ms Dyer expressed surprise in the interest in what she said were private comments to her friends, adding that she doubted they would have any impact on her own or the Festival’s relations with the new government.

“I work with governments of all persuasions at both Federal and State level and always have,” she said. “I don’t think holding any particular role disqualifies you from having political views. I think in the cultural, ideas-based, intellectual industries people are obviously going to have political views. I think you obviously should be sharing them judiciously and clearly in the future I’ll need to think more carefully about the forums where I’d do that.”

Announcing her appointment two weeks ago, Adelaide Festival chair Judy Potter said that luring Ms Dyer from her role as CEO of Sydney Writers’ Festival was “a coup” and that she had been “the unanimous choice” of the selection committee.