‘We have an Antoinette issue’: ABC texts read in Federal Court

ABC managing director David Anderson undertook an ‘extraordinary’ personal audit of Antoinette Lattouf’s social media amid pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists to see the fill-in radio host taken off the air, the Federal Court has heard.

Presenter and journalist Antoinette Lattouf arrives at the Federal Court in Sydney for her case against the ABC, she claims she was unlawfully dismissed from the national broadcaster after she shared a report alleging Israel was using starvation as a weapon in Gaza. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

ABC managing director David Anderson undertook an “extraordinary” personal audit of Antoinette Lattouf’s social media amid pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists to see the fill-in radio host taken off the air, the Federal Court has heard.

In text messages read aloud for the court, Mr Anderson told the ABC’s chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor that the organisation had an “Antoinette problem” due to her socials being filled with “anti-Semitic hatred”.

He allegedly told Mr Oliver-Taylor: “I’m not sure we can have someone on air that suggests that Hamas should return to their ethnic cleansing in Gaza and and move on to the West Bank.”

Lattouf, a Lebanese-Australian, last year took legal action against the ABC over claims she was unfairly dismissed by the public broadcaster in December 2023 after she shared a social post relating to the Israel-Hamas war.

While operating as a temporary substitute for ABC mornings radio host Sarah Macdonald, she shared a post by Human Rights Watch with the caption that read “HRW reporting starvation as a tool of war”.

She was sacked after completing just three of her five shifts.

Lattouf is expected to give evidence on Monday afternoon.

The blockbuster unfair dismissal hearing kicked off on Monday morning with a surprise appearance from barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC and solicitor Rebekah Giles, who argued for a suppression order over the identities of nine pro-Israel lobbyists accused of pressuring ABC executives into sacking Lattouf.

Federal Court judge Darryl Rangiah allowed the suppression order, saying the lobbyists would face “vilification and harassment if their identities and contact details were available to public at large”.

Lattouf is expected to give evidence later this afternoon and Mr Anderson is scheduled to enter the witness box tomorrow. Former ABC chair Ita Buttrose will give evidence on Friday.

In opening Lattouf’s case on Monday morning, barrister Oshie Fagir alleged his client was sacked as the direct result of a “pro-Israel lobby” which “quite openly and frankly targeted her” in a “campaign” to see her “taken off air”.

He told the court the ABC was flooded with complaints claiming Lattouf was not an appropriate person to be hosting the morning radio show, and demanding she be taken off air due to “impartiality” reasons.

“The campaign’s objection did not relate to anything that Ms Lattouf had done on air or during her employment by the ABC,” Mr Fagir said. “It related purely to the fact that she held opinions critical of the conduct of Israel in a general and particularly in relation to the Gaza war.”

Mr Fagir said it was “clear as day” that coordinated complaints were made to the ABC with the purpose of getting Lattouf sacked, and were characterised to “recast the issue” as “one of impartiality”.

Mr Fagir alleged Mr Anderson and Ms Buttrose bowed to the requests of the pro-Israel lobbyists behind the complaints.

He read aloud emails between Ms Buttrose and Mr Anderson, in which Ms Buttrose wrote: “Has Antoinette been replaced? I’m over getting emails about her.”

Former ABC chair Ita Buttrose.

Former ABC managing director David Anderson.

Mr Anderson replied: “Antoinette will finish up on Friday. It’s a managed exit given the situation. I can explain more tomorrow. Plan to respond to all those who have emailed on Friday afternoon.”

Ms Buttrose, seemingly disappointed in the response, said the public broadcaster owed Lattouf “nothing”.

“Why can’t she come down with flu or Covid or a stomach upset? We owe her nothing. We’re copping criticism because she wasn’t honest when she was appointed,” she wrote.

“Managed exit, really? ... we should be in damage control not managed exits, David.”

Mr Fagir said the Mr Anderson’s decision to personally review Lattouf’s social media posts was an “extraordinary step” considering she was on a temporary, five-day contract.

“The managing director personally reviewed her social media posts and expressed views about them. The three of them (Ms Buttrose, Mr Anderson and Mr Oliver-Taylor) had a series of discussions about the views and about whether and when they could be rid of her,” Mr Fagir said.

“So far as the evidence goes, including the material produced in discovery, they did not at any stage involve any human resources advisor. They did not at any point seek legal advice. And we will say they completely and utterly ignored the provisions of their enterprise agreement and their own policies dealing with these issues.”