A journalist has received her case in opposition to Australia’s nationwide broadcaster, with a court docket ruling she was unfairly sacked over a social media submit in regards to the conflict in Gaza.
Antoinette Lattouf mentioned the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) fired her with out “correct foundation” or “due course of” when her five-day contract as a fill-in radio presenter was reduce quick in December 2023.
Hours earlier than, Lattouf shared a submit from Human Rights Watch (HRW) that was vital of Israel, a transfer that the ABC mentioned breached its editorial coverage.
Lattouf sued for wrongful dismissal, claiming she had been fired attributable to her political beliefs, her race and after lobbying from pro-Israel teams.
Her dismissal triggered a wave of public outrage and created turmoil on the public broadcaster – elevating questions over its independence and reviving considerations over the way it helps employees, significantly those that are culturally numerous.
Lattouf – who’s of Lebanese heritage – has been an everyday contributor in Australian media for years, but in addition made a reputation for herself as an activist on points like racism, discrimination in media and psychological well being.
The ABC disputed that she was fired, as a result of they’d paid her contract in full.
On Wednesday, Justice Darryl Rangiah dominated that the ABC did sack Ms Lattouf, for causes together with her opinions on the Israeli army marketing campaign in Gaza. He rejected the allegation she was fired due to her race.
Ms Lattouf was awarded damages of A$70,000 (£33,400, $45,400), however Justice Rangiah mentioned he would hear arguments from either side on additional penalties.
Earlier than she had began her week-long stint as a presenter for the ABC’s Mornings radio programme in Sydney, the broadcaster had requested Lattouf to restrict her social media use and she or he agreed.
However she claimed her supervisor additionally mentioned she might share info from “respected” sources so on the second day of her contract, she re-shared HRW’s Instagram submit that accused Israel of utilizing hunger as a instrument in its conflict in Gaza – one thing the ABC itself had reported on. Israel denies the accusation.
Shortly after coming off air the subsequent day, Lattouf was advised to pack up her issues and go away, with the choice to take away her from the airwaves promptly leaked to the media. This left her repute in tatters, Lattouf says.
She took her case to Australia’s Truthful Work Fee final yr, which, after mediation failed, dominated that she was fired, paving the way in which for her motion within the Federal Court docket.
There, Lattouf’s group argued the ABC had been influenced by exterior stress about her appointment as a brief radio presenter, even earlier than she had began the quick contract.
Elizabeth Inexperienced, Lattouf’s supervisor, advised the court docket that there had already been stress from “increased up” to sack Lattouf earlier than the HRW submit was shared.
The court docket heard that ABC’s former chair Ita Buttrose had forwarded a number of emails complaining about Lattouf to senior managers.
The BBC has additionally seen dozens of WhatsApp messages from two teams that present a concerted letter-writing marketing campaign in opposition to Lattouf within the days earlier than she was fired.
The ABC’s barrister, Ian Neil SC, argued that Lattouf had not been fired and was merely advised she would not must work the ultimate two days of her contract, saying “we’re speaking about two shifts, two packages”.
Neil additionally maintained that chopping quick the contract was not about sanctioning Lattouf, however quite to guard the repute of the broadcaster.
“Taking somebody off air is designed to guard the ABC, to not punish the worker,” Neil mentioned in closing arguments.
The Israeli army launched a marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, by which about 1,200 individuals had been killed and 251 others had been taken hostage.
No less than 55,706 individuals have been killed in Gaza since then, together with greater than 15,000 kids, in line with the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry.
Extra reporting by Tiffanie Turnbull.
