A&U pulls Clive Hamilton’s China book citing threat of legal action
Allen & Unwin has decided not to publish Clive Hamilton’s book Silent Invasion: How China is Turning Australia into a Puppet State, citing the threat of legal action from the Chinese government, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
SMH has published excerpts of a confidential email sent by A&U CEO Robert Gorman to Hamilton, in which Gorman raises concerns about ‘potential threats to the book and the company from possible action by Beijing’. Gorman writes that the ‘most serious of these threats was the very high chance of a vexatious defamation action against Allen & Unwin, and possibly against you personally as well’.
Hamilton told the SMH that he was ‘not aware of any other instance in Australian history where a foreign power has stopped publication of a book that criticises it’. ‘The reason they’ve decided not to publish this book is the very reason the book needs to be published,’ he said.
Hamilton’s book explores the Chinese Communist Party’s influence on Australian politics and society.
Allen & Unwin has since released the following statement: ‘Allen & Unwin has published a number of books with Clive Hamilton, and has enormous respect for him and his work. After extensive legal advice we decided to delay publication of Clive’s book Silent Invasion until certain matters currently before the courts have been decided. Clive was unwilling to delay publication and requested the return of his rights, as he is entitled to do. We continue to wish him the best of luck with the book.’
Tags: china
Category: Local news
