ABC’s integrity on the line in Gaza advocate case

The ABC’s integrity will be affected by the outcome of a lawsuit by a radio host dismissed over a post on the Gaza conflict, the broadcaster’s boss has said.

The ABC’s managing director has admitted the public broadcaster’s integrity will be impacted by whether it wins or loses a hotly contested lawsuit by a radio host sacked for sharing a post critical of Israel.

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.

Outgoing ABC boss David Anderson stepped back into the witness box during an unfair dismissal hearing in the Federal Court on Thursday.

“Would you accept that the ABC’s actions in its dealings with Ms Lattouf have in fact undermined its reputation for independence and integrity?” asked the journalist’s barrister Oshie Fagir.

“No, I don’t believe it’s undermined its reputation for independence,” Mr Anderson said.

“I think the outcome of this trial will determine whether or not it’s affected the ABC’s integrity.”

Earlier during questioning, the managing director said Lattouf should not have been hired for live talkback radio.

“I believe that was a mistake, yes,” he said.

He told the court he was concerned someone could have called up Lattouf to discuss the Gaza conflict while she was on air and that it may be difficult to comply with the public broadcaster’s obligations of impartiality.

After the ABC received a co-ordinated campaign of complaints directed through a WhatsApp group, Mr Anderson ordered chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor to investigate the 41-year-old.

Lattouf alleges this WhatsApp group was titled Lawyers for Israel.

“The thrust of each and everyone of these (complaint) emails were that Ms Lattouf’s criticisms of Israel were anti-Semitic?” Mr Fagir asked.

“Yes,” Mr Anderson replied.

While Mr Oliver-Taylor’s team found Lattouf had not breached any of the ABC’s policies, Mr Anderson personally googled her and browsed her Instagram account.

He forwarded some screenshots on to Mr Oliver-Taylor, telling him the ABC had an “Antoinette issue” as her social media feeds contained “anti-Semitic hatred”.

On Thursday, he told the court he abhorred racial hatred of any kind.

However, he denied being personally offended by the things written on Lattouf’s socials, instead saying he was “challenged” by the comments.

Measures were taken to prevent her discussing the Israel-Gaza conflict on air or post about the topic online, he told the court.

After her third shift, she was let go for allegedly breaching this direction by sharing the Human Rights Watch post.

She denies being given any such order.

The broadcaster’s boss admitted her dismissal was “abnormal” because she had not been given a chance to defend her actions.

Mr Anderson had always wanted Lattouf out of the organisation, Mr Fagir suggested.

‘You were not about to interrogate any decision to take her off air because that is exactly what you wanted?” he asked.

“That is not correct,” Mr Anderson said.

Former ABC Radio Sydney acting manager Ronald “Mark” Spurway told the court the decision to take Lattouf off air came completely out of the blue, hours after he had complimented her on her work.

“That was a complete shock to you, correct?” asked Lattouf’s barrister Philip Boncardo.

“I was surprised,” Mr Spurway said.

He organised to pay Lattouf for the final two shifts she had been asked not to perform after her dismissal.

Mr Spurway said he did it because it was the right thing to do, denying he was spurred into action because she had sued the ABC in the Fair Work Commission at the time.

The hearing continues Friday.

By: Miklos Bolza/AAP