Journalists inside the ABC’s Sydney offices have threatened to walk out unless the broadcaster’s management addresses concerns over the termination of Antoinette Lattouf.
Lattouf was terminated back in December, just three days into a short-term position filling in as a host on ABC Radio Sydney. It was later made public that she was dismissed off the back of a series of social media posts, which included a reshare of a post from Human Rights Watch that claimed the Israeli government was using starvation as a tool against people in Palestine.
Leaked WhatsApp messages yesterday revealed a coordinated campaign to terminate Lattouf. The messages show that a group called Lawyers for Israel wrote to insiders at the ABC, including chair Ita Buttrose and managing director David Anderson, demanding that Lattouf be sacked.
In a further twist yesterday afternoon, approximately 80 staff members have demanded a meeting with ABC managing director David Anderson, who is currently on leave. The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance have confirmed that the group threatened to stage a walkout if their concerns over the situation were not met.
“Working journalists are the ones who are holding the line on public interest journalism and telling the stories we need to hear without fear or favour,” said Cassie Derrick, MEAA media director.
“At the ABC, the management is letting these journalists and the public down. Management needs to work with the staff to ensure that the trust in the ABC can be maintained”.
The ABC was contacted for comment on the matter but has not replied to correspondence.
