Lattouf says ABC boss Kim Williams ‘took swipes’ at her on live TV

“Maybe keep a low profile on Twitter and maybe don’t post while you’re with us,” Lattouf says Green told her, which she pushed back against.

“I’ve been a journalist long enough to know that it’s a bit strange just to pick and choose which presenters can share facts about topics,” she said in response to questioning from Neil.

The pair agreed she would stick to the facts, and Green agreed posting from reputable sources was “fine”, Lattouf said.

While Neil stated that the conversation between Green and Lattouf was a “clear communication” to Lattouf on behalf of her employer, the ABC, to not post anything on social media, she disagreed with the statement, saying she believed it was a two-way conversation, and that Green had told her she was “angry to even have to make this phone call”.

Lattouf is arguing she was unlawfully terminated three days into a five-day contract as a fill-in presenter on ABC Radio Sydney in late 2023. Central to the case are social media posts she made before and during her time at the ABC, it has argued.

She is also claiming racial discrimination. On Monday, her barrister Oshie Fagir, told the court “the ABC says that this claim must fail because Ms Lattouf has not proven there is a Lebanese, Arab or Middle Eastern race.”

The ABC has denied Lattouf was sacked, as she was paid for the full five days, and has also denied its most senior executives were influenced by pro-Israel lobbyists in their decision-making. Most of the ABC’s top executives – including then-chair Ita Buttrose, managing director David Anderson and content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor – have either left the national broadcaster or are on their way out.

On Monday, Lattouf said she didn’t care if people found the “facts” she posted to social media, including one claim that “Gaza was being annihilated hourly” and another that said, “HRW [Human Rights Watch] reporting starvation as a tool of war”, were controversial.

“Facts are never controversial. I don’t share facts worrying if somebody might think it’s controversial,” she said in response to questioning from Neil.

The HRW post, which Lattouf was ultimately sacked over, was made on December 19, 2023, the afternoon of the second day of her ABC contract. It said Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war.

Lattouf told the court on Tuesday that she had posted the information under the belief it was factual information, and after she had seen the HRW’s report on both the ABC and BBC. She again rejected Neil’s assertion the post was controversial.

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Monday’s proceedings at the Federal Court also heard that former ABC chair Ita Buttrose had pushed for Lattouf to be taken off-air following complaints about her.

Buttrose wrote in emails with ABC managing director David Anderson: “I have a whole clutch of complaints. Can’t she come down with flu, or COVID or a stomach upset? We owe her nothing,” the court was told.

Anderson, who announced his resignation from the ABC’s top job in August, is expected to be cross-examined this afternoon.

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