Jamie Oliver pulls children’s book from shelves after criticism for ‘stereotyping’ Indigenous Australians
Jamie Oliver has pulled his children’s book from sale after condemnation from First Nations communities that the fantasy novel is offensive and harmful.
Penguin Random House UK on Sunday notified the Guardian that Billy and the Epic Escape would be withdrawn from sale in all countries where it holds rights, including the UK and Australia.
Oliver, who is now in Australia promoting his latest cookbook, has issued a second apology.
“I am devastated to have caused offence and apologise wholeheartedly,” the British celebrity chef said in a statement.
“It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue. Together with my publishers we have decided to withdraw the book from sale.”
Oliver’s publisher said it took full responsibility for the misjudgment.
“Our mission at Penguin Random House UK is to make books for everyone and with that commitment comes a deep sense of responsibility,” the publisher’s statement said.
“It is clear that our publishing standards fell short on this occasion, and we must learn from that and take decisive action. With that in mind, we have agreed with our author, Jamie Oliver, that we will be withdrawing the book from sale.”
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Commission (Natsiec) led the call to withdraw the book. Support came from prominent Indigenous literary figures, including the Wiradjuri author and publisher Dr Anita Heiss, and the Kooma and Nguri children’s book author Cheryl Leavy.
Natsiec condemned the UK-published book as “damaging” and “disrespectful” and accused Oliver of contributing to “the “erasure, trivialisation, and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences”.
Billy and the Epic Escape is set in England but takes a brief sojourn to Alice Springs where the novel’s villain abducts a young First Nations girl living in foster care in an Indigenous community.
The book has been condemned in Australia for perpetuating harmful stereotypes and “trivialising complex and painful histories”.
The Natsiec chief executive, Sharon Davis, criticised implications in a chapter titled To Steal a Child that First Nations families “are easily swayed by money and neglect the safety of their children”.
“[It] perpetuates a racist stereotype that has been used to justify child removals for over a century,” Davis said.
“This portrayal is not only offensive but also reinforces damaging biases.”
The book also contained errors in Oliver’s attempt to use Indigenous words drawn from the Arrernte language of Alice Springs and the Gamilaraay people of NSW and Queensland.
Oliver and his publisher told Guardian Australia that no consultation with any Indigenous organisation, community or individual took place before the book was published.
Leavy, whose first children’s book, Yanga Mother, confronts the history of the stolen generations, said the decision to pull the book was the right one.
“It makes it possible for Penguin Random House to build relationships with First Nations communities and tell better stories,” she said.
“It’s time now for Penguin Random House to work with First Nations advisers to put structural measures in place that prevent this from ever happening again.”
