The ABC sacked broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf after a high-level and co-ordinated letter-writing campaign from pro-Israel lobbyists that directly targeted the corporation’s chair, Ita Buttrose, and managing director David Anderson.
Dozens of leaked messages from a WhatsApp group called Lawyers for Israel show how members of the group repeatedly wrote to the ABC demanding Lattouf be sacked, and threatened legal action if she was not.
According to an unlawful termination claim Lattouf later filed, ABC managers told her the morning program had been well received by audiences. But on the third day of her contract, according to the claim, she was told she was sacked, with her boss, Elizabeth Green, saying the order had come from “above me”. The stated reason, according to Lattouf’s claim, was that she had reposted a Human Rights Watch report saying Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war.
ABC journalists have threatened to walk off the job as the wrongful dismissal case launched against the broadcaster by radio host Antoinette Lattouf escalates.
Also on Wednesday, a federal Cabinet minister was drawn into the dispute.
About 80 employees at the ABC’s Ultimo headquarters in Sydney cited concerns of “outside interference” and issues in its handling of complaints against staff as the dispute escalated beyond Lattouf on Wednesday.
“MEAA media members at the ABC today called on managing director David Anderson to urgently meet with staff and address growing concerns about outside interference, culturally unsafe management practices and to stand up for journalism without fear or favour,” the media union posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, secret texts from a private WhatsApp messaging group emerged, showing discussion between Lawyers for Israel members, including a call to action to pressure Anderson and ABC chair Ita Buttrose to sack Lattouf.
“It’s important ABC hears from not just individuals in the community but specifically lawyers so they feel there is an actual legal threat,” one message reads.
“I have basically written to them and told them I expect a proper response, not a generic one, by COB today or I would look to engage senior counsel.
“I know there is probably no actionable offence against the ABC but I didn’t say I would be taking one – just investigating one. I have said that they should be terminating her employment immediately.”
Another read: “Why is the ABC allowing this woman to host a radio show?” and a member responded: “Exactly, which is why we need to stamp it out.”
If you want to read more, the above quotes are from this article: https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/people/2024/01/17/abc-walkout-antoinette-lattouf
Bunch of bullies.
She was reportedly fired over a Human Rights Watch post she shared on social media on December 19 about Israel “using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza”, after she had been directed not to post about “matters of controversy”.
One way Israel could avoid such controversy is by not using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza. But I guess they prefer starving them and threatening and bullying anyone who mentions it.
Lessons to learn here, be a Karen and just bitch and moan and complain to the manager until they do what you want.
For the Americans:
This ABC is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and NOT the American Broadcasting Company owned by Disney.
This is all just misleading misdirection.
The ABC is gov’t funded. Every single gov’t employee knows that there are restrictions regarding what you can post on social media, regardless of what the issue is or which side you take. Not to mention that journalists should be impartial.
She was trying to use her public influence as a journalist and the trust in the ABC brand to post material that could influence peoples’ opinions and she got caught out.
Now she’s desperately trying to make it look like a witch hunt in order to obscure the real reason she was fired.
By retweeting the new Human Rights Watch report, which ABC itself wrote an article on two hours prior to her retweet?
What sort of restriction could that at all violate?
*The report was not written by the ABC
*She shared it on Instagram, not Twitter
*She had been warned ahead of time not to share anything controversial.
*She was on a short term contract and was paid for all shifts regardless .
Seems the disinformation has worked on you.