Despite making polarising statements on racism, politics and the Murdoch press, a number of high-profile ABC personalities avoided the same fate as a radio host removed over a post on Gaza, a court has been told.
Antoinette Lattouf was hired as a casual presenter for the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney over five days in December 2023.
But the 41-year-old was dismissed after three days on air after sharing a Human Rights Watch post on Instagram saying Israel had used starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.
As a Federal Court unfair dismissal hearing continued on Wednesday, outgoing ABC managing director David Anderson admitted Lattouf’s removal was “atypical” because she had not been given the chance to defend her actions.
However, he told Lattouf’s barrister Oshie Fagir the end result would have been the same because her conduct gave “cause for concern”.
Mr Anderson was presented with examples of ABC news personalities making public controversial statements without being fired.
At the Sydney Writers’ Festival, chief political correspondent Laura Tingle said “Australia is a racist country,” a statement which Mr Anderson said was impartial.
“I think it’s an impartial statement because it’s based in fact,” he told the court.
Tingle was not sanctioned over the comment but was counselled over later criticisms she made of federal opposition leader Peter Dutton.
Mr Fagir listed other ABC personalities who remained at the public broadcaster including former Media Watch host Paul Barry, who tweeted that Israel was killing journalists, and global affairs editor John Lyons who said the ABC had bowed to pressure from foreign lobbyists by dismissing Lattouf.
Chair Kim Williams separately said the Murdoch press had an unbalanced, unhinged obsession with the ABC and that Mr Dutton’s energy policy was a “sound bite with no detail”.
None of these figures had lost their jobs with the ABC, Mr Fagir said.
Mr Anderson said how the ABC responded depended on the context.
Earlier on Wednesday, ABC barrister Ian Neil SC said its executives blamed head of capital city networks Steve Ahern for putting the broadcaster in an “unacceptable position” by failing to assess Lattouf’s history before hiring her.
“Dear Ita, we’re absolutely in damage control,” Mr Anderson emailed to chair Ita Buttrose on December 20.
“Mr Ahern made a negligent error of judgment by employing Ms Lattouf.”
While the organisation fielded complaints about Lattouf’s comments regarding Israel and Gaza, Mr Neil denied they influenced the decision to let her go.
After an investigation, it was found she had not breached any guidelines and would remain on air.
That evening, Mr Anderson personally inspected Lattouf’s Instagram feed before expressing further concerns to another executive.
“I think we have an Antoinette issue,” he texted.
“Her socials are full of anti-Semitic hatred.”
He attached a screenshot of a post, which under cross-examination on Monday the journalist said was written as a “cheeky” response to hate mail.
“Hell no, (Israel) should finish off the ethnic cleansing job they started, then move onto the West Bank. Kill and annexe. Then same with Lebanon and Jordan,” Lattouf wrote.
A further investigation found the 41-year-old had still not breached social media guidelines and an agreement was made to keep her on air.
Acting editorial director Simon Melkman said it was “worth treading carefully” given Lattouf was outspoken, had strong views on Gaza, and “would make it a very big and very public issue”.
Despite having to deal with a “plainly agitated” Ms Buttrose, Mr Anderson still held the line and kept Lattouf on, Mr Neil said.
That is until it was discovered she had shared the Human Rights Watch comment, ignoring directions not to post about Israel and Gaza during her employment with the ABC, the court was told.
The freelance journalist has denied being given any such direction and claims she was only let go after the ABC caved to pressure from pro-Israeli lobbyists.
The hearing continues on Thursday.
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