ABC chair Ita Buttrose demands answers surrounding the appointment of radio presenter Antoinette Lattouf

The fallout continues within the ABC over the sacking of fill-in radio presenter Antoinette Lattouf and the reputational damage it has caused the taxpayer-funded station.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose and managing director David Anderson are demanding answers from radio management over the controversial appointment of the now axed ABC Sydney’s mornings host Antoinette Lattouf and the public broadcaster has engaged lawyers to handle the fallout.

The Australian revealed this week Lattouf was abruptly dumped from her fill-in role as radio presenter after she posted a series of inflammatory social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict and also engaged in on-air discussions including how to cope with second-hand trauma experienced from the war zone including images of Palestinian people without food and water in Gaza.

Ms Buttrose, Mr Anderson and the ABC board are among those requesting information on how Lattouf – a prolific user of social media who shares anti-Israel posts – was appointed in the first place and repeatedly breached the ABC’s social media to “protect the ABC’s reputation, independence, impartiality and integrity.”

Ms Buttrose and Mr Anderson are searching for answers from members of management including chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor, head of audio Ben Latimer and ABC Sydney radio manager Steve Ahern.

Ahern appointed Lattouf to the position despite her very public anti-Israel stance.

7 *hot tips* for Hollywood actors, politicians and media commentators to show the Israeli Defence Force unconditional support.#gaza#CeasefireForGaza#FreeHostages#releasehostagespic.twitter.com/fgz0VmK3Sp

— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) November 10, 2023

Lattouf has repeatedly refuted the legitimacy of the “gas the Jews” footage from Sydney’s Opera House and posted numerous video on her social media accounts including X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok about this and also accused Israeli forces of committing rape.

Her commentary on Monday’s radio program also drew the attention of bosses internally after she discussed how Palestinian people are running out of food and water in Gaza and an advertising campaign showing corpses reminiscent of being wrapped in Muslim burial cloths left “a lot of people really upset.”

Lattouf, a Lebanese-Australian woman, was appointed to fill in for Sarah Macdonald in the mornings slot and she was due to host five shows but was sacked after her third program.

It was reported on Friday she had lodged a Fair Work application claiming she was unlawfully terminated from her employment.

Lattouf and the ABC were both contacted but did not comment.

There are also concerns within the ABC of the damage Lattouf’s sacking has caused ABC Sydney radio and whether it will result in a permanent shedding of its already declining audience.

In the latest official radio ratings by GfK it showed ABC Sydney had an audience share of 6 per cent and was the sixth most popular station in the NSW capital.

The morning program’s ratings had taken a hit in the last survey under Macdonald and fell to 4.9 per cent (down 1.2 percentage points).

Lattouf was sacked hours after she finished presenting the program on Wednesday and that night she posted on social media that she believed she was “terminated unlawfully”.

“This is not a win for journalism or critical, fair thinking,” she wrote.

“I’m currently considering my legal options.”

I am very disappointed by the ABC’s decision today. pic.twitter.com/2evCSUbmPn

— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) December 20, 2023

Videos circulated on social media this week of Lattouf appearing on ABC’s Q+A in 2021 discussing rugby union player Israel Folau being stood down over his controversial social media posts and claiming now looked hypocritical after she said: “He breached social media protocols and he was asked not to post those sorts of things.

“It wasn’t about what he said, it was about his professional conduct and what was expected of him.”

The media union, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s acting chief executive Adam Portelli said in a statement this week the “ABC should back its employees when they are under attack”.

“Australians expect and deserve an ABC that is home to a range of ideas and opinions reflective of the diversity of Australian society,” he said.

“The ABC should be backing its own employees when they come under attack.”

After Lattouf’s sudden sacking ABC were left scrambling for a replacement and breakfast host Simon Marnie filled in for her for the remainder of the week.