ABC ordered to pay Antoinette Lattouf $70,000 for wrongful dismissal

Get The AJN Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

The ABC has been ordered to pay freelance journalist Antoinette Lattouf $70,000 in compensation after a Federal Court ruled she was unlawfully terminated from her radio presenting role, The Australian reported on Wednesday.

Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah found the ABC breached the Fair Work Act when it told Lattouf she was not required for the final two days of a five-day casual stint on ABC Radio Sydney in December 2023.

Lattouf was removed from air after sharing a Human Rights Watch post on social media that read: “The Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza.”

The court heard the decision to terminate Lattouf was made by head of content Chris Oliver-Taylor following complaints, The Australian reported.

Justice Rangiah found that when Lattouf was told she was not required for her final two shifts, it was a “euphemistic way” of telling her that she was being taken off air.

“I find that the ABC repudiated the contract of employment by informing Lattouf that she would no longer be permitted to present mornings,” he said, according to The Australian.

Outside court, Lattouf said: “Today the court has found that punishing someone for sharing facts about these war crimes is also illegal. I was punished for my political opinion.”

The case revealed that former ABC chair Ita Buttrose had emailed managing editor David Anderson asking: “Has Antoinette been replaced. I am over getting emails about her.”

In February it was revealed the ABC had spent $1.1 million of taxpayer funds defending the case, despite earlier knocking back an offer from Lattouf’s team to settle for $85,000, The Australian reported.

ABC managing director Hugh Marks apologised to Lattouf, saying: “We regret how the decision to remove Lattouf from air was handled and the distress occasioned her. We extend our sincere apologies to Lattouf.”