The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been fined $150,000 by the Federal Court for unlawfully terminating journalist Antoinette Lattouf after she shared a social media post voicing political views on the conflict in Gaza. The court’s decision highlights the employer’s duty to resist boycotts and cancel culture, demonstrating the consequences of bowing to public shaming.
Justice Darryl Rangiah concluded that the ABC was influenced by a coordinated email campaign from pro-Israel lobbyists, describing the firing as politically motivated and baseless. The ruling emphasizes the need for significant penalties to prevent similar occurrences and underscores the role of social media in enabling such campaigns.
The termination lacked consultation with proper departments, an action perceived as a preemptive measure to handle potential public relations fallout from an article in The Australian about Lattouf’s hiring. Despite internal disagreements over her termination, ABC’s chief content officer Christopher Oliver-Taylor made the final decision without adhering to protocol, as noted by Justice Rangiah.
The judge criticized the ABC for compromising its independence and integrity to succumb to external political pressures, failing to uphold the expected employment standards. Lattouf will receive the penalty alongside $70,000 in prior damages. Despite spending over $2 million in legal defense, paid for by taxpayers, ABC has acknowledged its conduct but lacks internal accountability as identified by the judge.
Lattouf emphasized that her fight was about accountability and upholding public broadcasting integrity, rather than financial gain. Newly appointed ABC managing director Hugh Marks called the experience educational and pledged organizational improvements.
The case underscores the importance of free expression and ethical standards for public broadcasters in Australia amidst external pressures, while highlighting the ethical dilemmas media entities face in the digital age.