Australian author Craig Silvey charged with child exploitation material offences

Australian author Craig Silvey has been charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material. Photo / Getty Images

Renowned Australian author Craig Silvey has been charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

Police executed a search warrant at his Fremantle home in Perth, where they allegedly found him actively engaging with other child exploitation offenders online.

“He was immediately arrested and his electronic devices were seized,” WA Police said in a statement.

Silvey briefly faced Fremantle Magistrates Court this week for his first appearance. He was not required to enter a plea.

Magistrate Thomas Hall granted Silvey bail with conditions, as well as a A$100,000 personal undertaking and a A$100,000 surety.

Silvey is best known for his young adult novels Runt, Jasper Jones and Honeybee.

Jasper Jones and Runt have both been adapted into feature films, and garnered critical acclaim.

The books are also frequently included in school curriculum set texts, including Jasper Jones and Rhubarb.

The father of three young daughters grew up in Western Australia, and lives in Fremantle with his children and partner.

Silvey is set to next face court on February 10.

The City of Subiaco has said Silvey would no longer be associated with the city’s annual competition for young writers, which is open to school-age children in WA.

Silvey had been patron of the Craig Silvey Award for Young Writers since 2023.

“The City of Subiaco’s arrangements for the Young Writers Award are made on an annual basis,” Mayor David McMullen said in a statement.

“The city has no ongoing arrangement with Craig Silvey. Mr Silvey will have no affiliation with the 2026 Young Writers Award.”

WA Education Minister Sabine Winton has also ordered all public schools to stop using Silvey’s books.

“The nature of these allegations is deeply concerning,” Winton said.

“I have asked the Department of Education to ensure that schools cease using texts by Craig Silvey for the 2026 school year while the allegations are under investigation.

“Some students may have studied these texts in previous years.

“The School Curriculum and Standards Authority will not penalise Year 12 students who may refer to these texts in the 2026 ATAR Literature course examination.

“Given this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate for me to provide any further comment.”

Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.