Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been ordered to pay presenter Antoinette Lattouf $70,000

In a recent significant ruling by the Federal Court, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been ordered to pay presenter Antoinette Lattouf $70,000 in compensation following the termination of her employment due to expressing a political opinion concerning the conflict in Gaza.

On June 25, 2025, Justice Rangiah found that the ABC discriminated against Ms Lattouf by terminating her employment primarily because of an Instagram post she made criticising the Israeli military campaign. The Court held that this action breached section 772(1)(f) of the Fair Work Act, which prohibits dismissal based on political opinions.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been ordered to pay presenter Antoinette Lattouf $70,000

The decision highlighted that while the post was deemed "ill-advised" by the Court and inconsiderate towards her employer, ABC's response exceeded permissible disciplinary boundaries. Notably, it was determined that ABC’s former Chief Content Officer, Chris Oliver-Taylor, decided to remove Ms Lattouf from her presenting role to avoid anticipated complaints and pressure from pro-Israel advocacy groups.

Importantly, the Court rejected Ms Lattouf's claims related to racial and national discrimination, finding no credible evidence that ABC executives, including Managing Director David Anderson, Chair Ita Buttrose, and Audio Director Ben Latimer, made their termination decision based on her Lebanese heritage.

Furthermore, the Court found the ABC violated the ABC Enterprise Agreement 2022–2025 by categorising Ms Lattouf’s actions as serious misconduct without valid grounds and failing to promptly inform her of the seriousness attributed to her actions.

Justice Rangiah emphasised the significance of protecting employees’ rights to hold and express political views, underscoring that such rights are fundamental within Australian workplaces.

This decision reinforces essential principles around the fair treatment of employees, particularly concerning their rights to political expression, and serves as a caution to employers about adhering strictly to workplace agreements and legal standards in disciplinary matters.

A future hearing will address potential additional penalties against the ABC for these breaches.

Reference:Antoinette Lattouf v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (No 2) [2025] FCA 669 (25 June 2025).