Antoinette Lattouf, a journalist, was brought on for a short-term role at ABC Radio Sydney’s Mornings program just before Christmas 2023. Her tenure was abruptly terminated after she shared a Human Rights Watch statement alleging that Israel was using starvation as a tactic in Gaza. Following her dismissal, Lattouf filed an unlawful termination case in the Federal Court, where she received a ruling in her favour from Justice Darryl Rangiah, who ordered the ABC to pay her $70,000 in compensation. Further penalties may be addressed in a subsequent hearing, although no punitive measures were applied against the broadcaster itself.
Lattouf contended that her termination was a result of discrimination based on race and political beliefs, stemming from her comments about the Palestinian situation amid the ongoing Israeli conflict. The judge highlighted that her dismissal occurred shortly after a campaign by a pro-Israeli group, which inundated ABC executives, including chair Ita Buttrose, with complaints.
While the ABC maintains that it acted appropriately, asserting Lattouf was let go for disregarding a directive not to comment on Israel or Gaza during her employment, Lattouf disputed this claim, arguing that her supervisor had permitted her to share factual information from credible sources. Alongside Buttrose, she also implicated other senior figures at the ABC, including former content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor and ex-managing director David Anderson, alleging they played roles in her dismissal.
Lattouf further alleged that the ABC made her termination public prematurely, as an article covering her dismissal appeared in The Australian before she had even returned home. The court previously heard that ABC executives held head of capital city networks Steve Ahern accountable for the situation, citing his failure to evaluate Lattouf’s prior history before her hiring.
Overall, this case has raised questions about the ABC’s commitment to impartial journalism amid accusations of political bias, despite the broadcaster’s denials.