Peter Lalor dumped by SEN over pro-Palestine, Gaza posts midway through tour of Sri Lanka

Veteran broadcaster and former cricket writer at The Australian Peter Lalor has been dumped by SEN over “differing views” on conflict in the Middle East.

Prominent cricket journalist and broadcaster Peter Lalor has been dumped by radio station SEN midway through the tour of Sri Lanka, with the network’s boss confirming “different views” over social media posts relating to the Middle East conflict.

Lalor had been providing special comments for SEN during the first Test – as he has done regularly for several years – but was told over the weekend that his services would no longer be required.

Lalor claims regular tweeting and retweeting promoting the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and strident criticism of the Israeli Government was cited as a reason for his dismissal.

Lalor on tour during his time as chief cricket writer for The Australian.

“Let’s be clear here; I think the actions of the Israeli government, and also Hamas, are crimes against humanity. I retweet a lot of the stuff I see on social media because it needs to be seen,” Lalor wrote on Monday night.

“I received two calls from senior management at SEN on the third day of the Test and was informed on the fourth morning that I could no longer work for them.

“I was told in one call there were serious organisations making complaints; in another I was told that this was not the case. Perhaps I misunderstood.

“I was told there were accusations I was antisemitic which I strongly objected to.

“I was asked by station boss Craig Hutchison, who was civil, if I didn’t care that my retweeting of events in Gaza made Jewish people in Melbourne feel unsafe. I said I didn’t want anyone to feel unsafe.”

SEN confirmed to Code Sports on Monday that it had parted ways with Lalor.

The network’s chief executive Craig Hutchison said: “We’ve been in dialogue through the back half of the (first) Test about some of the commentary on Peter’s private social media feed.

“Peter and I have a different view of the impact of that in the Australian community.

“SEN Cricket is a celebration of differences and nationalities and a place where our SEN audience can escape what is an increasingly complex and sometimes triggering world.

Peter Lalor has been axed from SEN. Picture: Nikki Short

“We respect Pete as a journalist and long-time contributor to the game but also acknowledge the fear that many families in our community feel right now, and we also need to respect that.”

A longtime chief cricket writer for The Australian, Lalor left the newspaper last year but continues to write on cricket via his Cricket Et Al blog, alongside fellow veteran journalist Gideon Haigh.

He has also been a frequent contributor to Channel 7’s cricket coverage.

Originally published as Peter Lalor dumped by SEN over pro-Palestine, Gaza posts midway through tour of Sri Lanka