ABC Fined A$220,000 for Unlawfully Firing Journalist Over Gaza Social Media Post
Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, has been ordered to pay journalist Antoinette Lattouf a total of A$220,000 after a Federal Court found she was unlawfully sacked for sharing a post that was critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The post, from the Human Rights Watch, accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Lattouf was taken off air just three days into a short radio contract with ABC in December 2023, after pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists who expressed outrage over the post.
The judge made it clear that the ABC’s decision to remove Lattouf wasn’t based on a clear breach of editorial policy, but rather on political pressure. He said there was an “orchestrated” campaign to get her off air and the broadcaster failed to uphold its duty of independence.
Justice Darryl Rangiah described the ABC’s removal of Lattouf saying, “The ABC let down the Australian public badly when it abjectly surrendered the rights of its employee…to appease a lobby group.” He also said, “ABC's conduct in surrendering to the demands of the pro-Israel lobbyists and taking Ms Lattouf off air ignored the equally important statutory obligation of maintaining its independence and integrity.”
Lattouf, who is known for her advocacy on racism and media diversity, said the legal fight was never about money but “about accountability and the integrity of the information our public broadcaster gives us.” She also revealed the ABC has spent more than $2 million in taxpayer funds fighting the case.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks admitted the case was not handled according to the broadcaster’s values and promised to reflect on the court’s findings. While the ABC has since apologized and introduced staff training to prevent future issues, Justice Rangiah said its contrition came “at a late stage and was certainly not as full as it might have been.” The case has sparked broader concerns about political influence, media independence, and how the ABC treats culturally diverse staff.
