Antoinette Lattouf v ABC hearing live: final witnesses to give evidence as court battle resumes

The Guardian

12-02-2025

'Pressure coming from higher up'
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Antoinette Lattouf arrives for day seven of hearing Antoinette Lattouf was recruited to host the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney for five days in December 2023. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP However, the 41-year-old was let go following three days on air after sharing an Instagram post by Human Rights Watch. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP Share
Green tells the court she saw Lattouf in a state of distress after she was sacked and she agreed that she had said words to the effect that she 'had tried to stop them' and she was sorry.
The two women spoke in a board room and Green told Lattouf there was 'pressure coming from higher up'.
I said there was pressure for her to be removed from the Monday.
'And I understood it had been referred up,' Green says.
'I already said there was pressure from, pressure from the Monday to get rid of Ms Lattouf'
Green says she told Green it was not Ahern's decision but it came from higher up. Share
Green felt there was nothing wrong with Instagram post from Human Rights Watch, court hears
Green disagrees with Boncardo over whether she used the word 'impartial' in her conversation with Lattouf.
Boncardo: 'Do you agree that you said something to the effect that it was probably best she keep a low profile on social media?
Green: 'Yes.
Boncardo: 'And maybe best not to post anything at all.'
Green: 'Yes.
Green agrees she may have told Lattouf not to post anything 'controversial' or 'unbalanced'.
Green agrees she told Lattouf she could post facts from 'reputable sources'.
This matches the evidence Lattouf gave last week.
Green also says she told Steve Ahern she did not think there was anything wrong with the Instagram post from Human Rights Watch.
Ahern is the former head of ABC Sydney local radio. He hired Lattouf for five days in December 2023. Share
Elizabeth Green says she told Lattouf to be 'mindful' about social media posts
Elizabeth Green, Lattouf's line manager in December 2023, is the first witness. She tells the court she is currently the executive producer of the Drive program on ABC Sydney local radio.
Lattouf's barrister, Philip Boncardo, is taking Green back to 18 December when her manager, Steve Ahern, first told her that there had been complaints about Lattouf being hired by the ABC.
Green agrees that she spoke to Lattouf on the telephone and told her that had been complaints but that she had not read them but she imagined they were from the pro-Israel lobby.
'I said that she should avoid posting,' Green said. 'I mean, I remember saying that she should be mindful.
'Well, I would say that she should avoid posting anything related to the Israel-Palestine situation.
'I said I thought she was doing a good job on the show.' Share
Justice Darryl Rangiah asks media to comply with suppression order
The court is now in session and Justice Darryl Rangiah started by asking any media who may have published the names of some of the people who complained about Lattouf to comply with his suppression order last week.
'I made a suppression order last Monday, the solicitors acting for the applicants who sought the suppression order have written to the court asserting that a particular media organisation has published articles which disclose the identities of those protected by the suppression order,' he said. Share
What we can expect
Justice Darryl Rangiah will need to run a tight ship to get through the three remaining witnesses and ensure the trial finishes today.
The three who are still to give evidence in the unlawful termination trial are all current managers from the ABC who were involved in events surrounding and leading up to the Lattouf dismissal in some way.
Simon Melkman was the ABC's acting editorial director in December 2023 and appears to be the coolest head in the saga, advising management that there was no basis for removing Lattouf when concerns first arose on the Monday of her first shift hosting Mornings.
The concern was sparked by emailed complaints, to managing director David Anderson and chair Ita Buttrose, now known to be, at least in part, a co-ordinated campaign by a group named Lawyers for Israel.
Ben Latimer was the head of audio/radio at the time, reporting to Chris Oliver-Taylor as head of content. He was later elevated to director of audio by chair Kim Williams and now sits on the executive. Latimer is the manager who spotted Lattouf's post on Instagram about Human Rights Watch and alerted Oliver-Taylor to it on the Wednesday. Within hours Lattouf had been dismissed.
Elizabeth Green was Lattouf's line manager and the woman tasked with relaying instructions from Oliver-Taylor on the Tuesday and the Wednesday. Evidence has so far been contradictory about what Green was supposed to say and what she did say. Lattouf has described Green as sympathetic to her and described how they cried together at the lifts when Lattouf was told to leave. Ben Latimer was head of ABC audio/radio at the time Lattouf was working as a casual. Photograph: ABC Share
Hi, I'm Amanda Meade, and I'll be watching day seven of the Antoinette Lattouf v ABC unlawful termination claim.
We will bring you all the evidence as it unfolds from 10.15am.
Today we will hear from the remaining three ABC witnesses: Simon Melkman, Ben Latimer and Elizabeth Green. Share