ABC was ‘ill informed to hire Lattouf: executive

The ABC’s chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor, a key player in the sacking of presenter Antoinette Lattouf, has taken to the witness stand in the Federal Court.

The ABC executive who was responsible for pulling Antoinette Lattouf from air says it was “ill informed” to appoint her to host morning radio in the first place, a court has heard.

The ABC’s chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor is appearing as a witness in Ms Lattouf’s high-profile trial after she sued the national broadcaster for unfair dismissal.

She says that after sharing a post about the Israel-Gaza war by Human Rights Watch on Instagram, she was sent home for the final two days of a five-day fill-in stint on ABC Radio’s Sydney Mornings program in December 2023.

Her legal team has claimed the decision to pull her off air was made by then ABC chair Ita Buttrose, managing director David Anderson and Mr Oliver Taylor.

The ABC denies that she was sacked and says Mr Oliver-Taylor alone made the decision to take her off air after she disobeyed a direction from her manager two days earlier not to post about the Gaza war.

Presenter and journalist Antoinette Lattouf was taken off air. Picture: NewsWire/ Damian Shaw.

ABC chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor has taken the stand. Picture Damian Shaw/Newswire.

“PROBLEMATIC”

The court has heard that in a text message late on Monday, December 18, 2023, Mr Anderson told Mr Oliver-Taylor that Ms Lattouf’s social media was full of “anti-Semitic hatred”.

Asked if, at that time, he shared Mr Oliver-Taylor’s view, he replied: “I did not know that for myself, I had not checked.”

He did believe it was “problematic”, Mr Oliver-Taylor told the court on Friday.

Antoinette Lattouf was taken off air for her final two shifts in December 2023. Picture: Instagram

“ILL INFORMED”

Mr Oliver-Taylor told the court on Friday that it was “atypical” for the chief content officer to scrutinise the social media posts of a casual employee.

The court heard that according to ABC policies, social media content was not assessed according to the standards of editorial policy.

He told the court that when issues with Ms Lattouf’s social media accounts came to his attention, he did not consult the ABC’s human resources department, known as people and culture.

“When did you consult with people and culture in relation to the issues pertaining to Ms Lattouf’s personal use of social media?” Mr Fagir asked.

“I did not,” Ms Oliver-Taylor said.

The court was told that he told members of management of ABC management on Wednesday, December 20 that background checks should have identified two issues about Ms Lattouf - her social media posts and that she signed a petition calling for the “ethical reporting” of Israel-Palestine conflict.

“She published various things leading up to her engagement with the ABC… Which meant there was a perception of bias,” Mr Oliver-Taylor told the court.

The court was told that he said at the time it was “ill informed” to put her on air in the first place.

Antoinette Lattouf arrives at the Federal Court on Friday. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

‘ANTI-SEMITIC’

The court has been that the ABC fielded dozens of email complaints after Ms Lattouf was put on air.

Mr Anderson on Thursday told the court that he was worried Ms Lattouf would repeat her views on the Israel-Gaza war on air – but he denied having any involvement in her being pulled from the airwaves.

The court has been told that Mr Anderson raised Ms Lattouf’s social media posts about the war on Monday, December 18.

The court was previously told that he was informed by Mr Oliver-Taylor on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 20 that she had been sent home for her final two shifts.

According to Mr Anderson, he was told: “We’ve decided to take her off air, she’s put something up on social media despite being directed not to.”

Mr Anderson further told the court that Mr Oliver-Taylor informed him that Ms Lattouf had breached the ABC’s editorial policy.

The court was told Mr Anderson claimed Ms Lattouf’s social media account had “anti-Semitic” content.

Ms Lattouf’s Instagram post. Picture: Supplied

He said on the evening of Monday, December 18 – the day of the first of her five shifts – he reviewed Ms Lattouf’s social media account.

“I came to look at Ms Lattouf’s social media by way of searching her name later that evening on Monday and what I saw in that social media was what Ms Lattouf’s said on the Israel-Gaza conflict, advocacy for one particular perspective,” Mr Anderson told the court.

“I did see what I would consider anti-Semitic posts.”

“You agreed with the complainants that Ms Lattouf’s criticism of Israel was anti-Semitic? True or untrue?” Ms Lattouf’s barrister Oshie Fagir asked.

“I came to the view that … there was anti-Semitic content on her social feed, yes.”

Mr Anderson said it was a “mistake” to appoint Ms Lattouf as a fill-in host for the show.

The trial continues.

Originally published as ABC was ‘ill informed to hire Lattouf: executive