Antoinette Lattouf, a casual presenter for ABC Radio Sydney, was dismissed just three days after taking on a five-day slot in December 2023, following her Instagram post alleging Israel used starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza. During court proceedings, Chris Oliver-Taylor, the ABC’s outgoing content chief, stated he was unaware of Lattouf’s specific views on the Gaza conflict when he decided not to reinstate her. He emphasised concerns about maintaining impartiality at the ABC, noting that he did not receive complaints from a pro-Israel lobby regarding her social media activity.
Lattouf is suing the ABC for unfair dismissal and is seeking damages. Oliver-Taylor acknowledged that he was sent screenshots of her posts by managing director David Anderson, who described them as containing “antisemitic hatred.” While agreeing that Lattouf’s views might pose a bias perception issue, Oliver-Taylor admitted to not extensively reviewing her posts. The ABC’s guidelines differentiate between employees’ personal views and their responsibilities in official roles, with Oliver-Taylor asserting that public figures like Lattouf must exercise caution in expressing their opinions on contentious issues.
The hearing is ongoing, presided over by Justice Darryl Rangiah, and Oliver-Taylor is set to leave the ABC at the end of February.