Antoinette Lattouf's unfair dismissal case against the ABC has revealed private messages between senior executives, suggesting their decision to terminate her may have been influenced by 'pro-Israel' lobbying and contradicted internal editorial advice.
Lawyers representing Antoinette Lattouf unveiled private communications between high-ranking ABC executives during a Federal Court hearing. Lattouf was removed from her role as a presenter on ABC Radio Sydney in December 2023, leading to an unfair dismissal lawsuit. Her legal counsel argues that Lattouf was terminated due to her views on the Israeli government's actions in Gaza and a supposed 'coordinated campaign' orchestrated by 'pro-Israel lobbyists'.
Lawyers for Lattouf presented private messages and emails exchanged between ABC managing director David Anderson, former chair Ita Buttrose, and outgoing chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor, alongside external complaints directed towards senior executives. Buttrose departed the organization after completing her five-year term, while Oliver-Taylor and Anderson are both scheduled to leave in the coming months, citing reasons unrelated to the case.During his opening statements on Monday, Lattouf's barrister, Oshie Fagir, asserted that Anderson personally reviewed Lattouf's social media accounts and communicated with Oliver-Taylor, stating, 'I think we have an Antoinette issue' and 'her socials are full of antisemitic hatred.' Fagir also quoted messages from Buttrose expressing frustration, stating, 'I have a whole clutch more complaints. Can't she come down with flu or COVID or a stomach upset? We owe her nothing.' The court also heard excerpts from emails sent to ABC executives demanding Lattouf's termination. Prior to the opening statements, Justice Darryl Rangiah granted a request to prohibit the publication of the identities of those who submitted complaints regarding Lattouf's employment. Fagir further argued that an internal editorial assessment conducted by acting editorial director Simon Melkman concluded that Lattouf 'done nothing wrong' in relation to her social media conduct.However, the ABC's legal representatives indicated their intention to argue that Lattouf was not discriminated against based on her race, claiming that she had not proven the existence of a distinct 'Lebanese Arab or Middle Eastern race.' Fagir countered this by stating, 'This is a model litigant, an organization that publicly suggests that it is confronting and treating seriously the concerns of its diverse workforce, and it comes to this court and says that Ms Lattouf should fail because it has not been proven that there is such thing as a Lebanese race,' he told the court
ANTIONETTE LATTOUF ABC DISMISSAL PRO-ISRAEL LOBBYISTS SOCIAL MEDIA FEDERAL COURT FAIR WORK COMMISSION EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
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