Federal Court to Rule on ABC Host's Alleged Unlawful Termination Over Pro-Palestine Views

June 24, 2025
Federal Court to Rule on ABC Host's Alleged Unlawful Termination Over Pro-Palestine Views
  • Antoinette Lattouf, a radio host and advocate for Palestine, is awaiting a Federal Court judgment regarding her alleged unlawful termination from ABC Radio Sydney after just three days on air.

  • This case follows an 18-month legal battle with the ABC, which is set to deliver its judgment soon.

  • Lattouf claims she was unlawfully dismissed after sharing pro-Palestine content on social media, despite her supervisor agreeing she could share factual information from reputable sources.

  • Lattouf is seeking between $100,000 and $150,000 in damages for non-economic loss, citing significant emotional distress and humiliation due to her treatment by the ABC.

  • Legal experts indicate that the court must determine whether the ABC violated the Fair Work Act and if race or political opinion influenced their actions against Lattouf.

  • The Fair Work Commission previously ruled that Lattouf was indeed sacked, allowing her to pursue an unlawful termination claim in federal court.

  • Court proceedings have revealed email exchanges among ABC executives discussing complaints about Lattouf's social media activity, highlighting the internal concerns raised by high-ranking officials.

  • In response, the ABC contends that Lattouf's employment was not terminated but rather ended naturally after her scheduled shifts, asserting that she was paid for all her work.

  • The ABC maintains that their decision to remove Lattouf was based on internal policies regarding social media conduct, not external complaints.

  • She alleges that her termination was influenced by her race and political opinions, particularly her criticism of the Israeli military and support for Palestinian rights.

  • Notably, her dismissal occurred just 48 hours after a pro-Israeli group launched a campaign of complaints to ABC executives, including then-chair Ita Buttrose.

  • Lattouf was abruptly removed from her role as a fill-in host for ABC Radio's Sydney Mornings program after reposting a Human Rights Watch statement about the Israeli military's actions in Gaza.

Summary based on 3 sources


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Sources


Court D-Day arrives for Lattouf

news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site for latest headlines • Jun 24, 2025

Court D-Day arrives for Lattouf

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