Axed ABC radio host Antoinette Lattouf has been accused of ‘moral yoga’ after video emerged of her suspension of support for Wallabies star Israel Folau for breaking social media rules with his infamous homophobic rant.
Lattouf was dumped as a weeklong substitute on ABC Radio Sydney’s morning show on December 20 after just three days due to her social media posts about the war in Gaza.
The national broadcaster says she was warned about the ABC’s social media rules but breached these guidelines, leading to her being removed from air.
Lattouf is now suing the company for illegally firing her because of her political views, as well as her race and Middle Eastern “cultural background.”
However, on Monday it was revealed that the ABC now denies firing her in a bid to end the legal action in a revised submission to the Fair Work Commission.
In the segment on ABC’s Q&A show in June 2021, Lattouf emphasized that Rugby Australia was right to dump Israel Folau for breaching the governing body’s social media rules.
The clip has resurfaced after an old social media post from 2023 also came to light in which Lattouf appeared to make a joke involving “Asian mothers.”
Axed ABC radio host Antoinette Lattouf (pictured) has been accused of ‘moral yoga’ after she supported the suspension of Wallabies star Israel Folau for breaching social media rules
Antoinette Lattouf said during the show that she recognized Israel. Folau (pictured with his wife Maria) was not fired for posting that homosexuals would burn in hell, but for ignoring RA’s social media policy.
Lattouf acknowledged during the Q+A appearance that Folau was not fired because of the content of his post, which said homosexuals would burn in hell, but because he ignored RA’s social media policy.
And she said Rugby Australia was right to take action – even though the ABC appears to have taken an identical line with her in its defence.
“When we talk about why Israel Folau was pulled, it was because he broke social media protocols and he was asked not to post things like this,” she told host Hamish McDonald.
‘It wasn’t about what he said, it was about his professional behavior and what was expected of him.
‘Personally I believe he should have resigned. I don’t believe he should spread such hatred. It clearly hurt people.”
The apparent double standards have been attacked by political consultant Parnell Palme McGuinness, who accused her of ‘moral yoga’.
“Almost everyone will reveal the moral yoga they are willing to practice with their core principles,” she said in a column for the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I had a good laugh at a new case being championed by commentator Antoinette Lattouf.
‘She had very different opinions on another famous social media-inspired dismissal case.
‘When Israel Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for posting that unless they “repent”, hell awaits “Drunks, Homosexuals, Adulterers, Liars, Fornicators, Thieves, Atheists, Idolaters”, Lattouf was all over it for.
‘She defended the dismissal… and informed us that she also agreed with the decision.
‘Lattouf took the free speech crowd on her conversion journey when she tweeted views they agreed with and was then fired by the ABC for doing so.
The images have resurfaced as a controversial social media post by Lattouf – co-founder of Media Diversity Australia – about “Asian mothers” was unearthed.
The images have resurfaced as a social media post from Lattouf – co-founder of Media Diversity Australia – was unearthed mocking ‘Asian mothers’
Lattouf was fired on December 20 after just three days as a week-long host on ABC Radio Sydney’s morning show for her comments on the war in Gaza.
In a post about last year’s Oscars, Lattouf appears to have made a joke about the “Tiger Mom” trope of Asian parents pushing their children to overachieve, leading to a bitter backlash.
“While Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan’s Academy Awards win is being celebrated by Asians around the world, the reactions of many Asian mothers are like, ‘Just one award each? Why not 3? Next year you’ll get three. Don’t be lazy,” she posted.
The comment was first posted on X and reposted on Instagram with hashtags including #brownmum, but the post divided her followers.
“Unfortunately, the trope of the ‘tiger parent’ who continually undermines the achievements of their children is incredibly harmful to the Asian community and the East Asian community in particular,” one person said.
Another replied: “Are you speaking from experience, or are you just trying to poke fun at Asian stereotypes to get some social media engagement? Not cool.’
Lattouf defended the post as a joke, saying her Lebanese heritage meant she was also Asian.
“It’s definitely a joke; a moment of light,” she insisted. ‘I use the term Asian in a broad sense and my obvious (sic) come from the Asian continent. My mother would say this to me!’
But the follower, posting as @kevincheng, replied: ‘I am aware that you are trying to turn this historic event into a “light moment”.
“While immigrant experiences often intersect (your mother in this case), using the term “Asian in a broad sense” and perpetuating these stereotypes is the wrong move.
‘Even more baffling to see this ‘joke’ from the co-founder of Media Diversity Australia… let alone someone who isn’t Asian.
“You made this cheesy meme as an Asian? It’s strange, I wouldn’t even think of making a joke about Lebanese people, even though we’re all from the same Asian continent.’
Her commentary on the Oscars was first posted on X and reposted on Instagram with hashtags including #brownmum, but the post divided her followers
Antoinette Lattouf was withdrawn from the ABC after her posts on the war in Gaza (pictured) and her reposting of a Human Rights Watch report sparked an angry response
He added: “You may understand the tiger mom story, but reinforcing these stereotypes can be harmful.
“Especially as second-generation immigrants, many of us are trying to work to change these stereotypes for the next generation.”
Another said: ‘Hmmmm, yes, no. Definitely not funny… It’s a very tone-deaf ‘joke’, honey.”
Lattouf later added, “It’s certainly given me plenty of food for thought and I appreciate how difficult it is to have nuance (sic) and respectful engagement on social media.”
She was fired by the ABC after her reports on the war in Gaza and her reposting of a Human Rights Watch report sparked an angry response, including an email campaign to the ABC by Jewish lawyers.
She has since filed a case with the Fair Work Commission over her dismissal, but on Monday her lawyers said the ABC has now reviewed their defence.
“The ABC has filed an amended response to (Lattouf’s) case and now says it has not fired her,” her lawyer Josh Bornstein wrote on X.
“This is in contrast to the original response submitted, which confirmed that her employment was terminated.”
He added: “We have requested a detailed explanation from the ABC about the face.
“If the ABC pursues this jurisdictional challenge, it is likely that evidence will need to be sought from senior management.”
Ms Lattouf said her alleged dismissal was a warning to other ABC journalists to deter them from speaking out.
“If I wasn’t fired, what was it?” she asked industry website Mumbrella.
‘I’m curious about all the creative euphemisms that will be used to explain this backflip to me.
‘Have I become loose? Liberated? Untethered? Subject to correction for workplace imbalance?
“The facts are that I was fired when the audience and my producers expected me to return.
“The decision to fire me was leaked almost immediately to a rival media outlet, delivering a chilling warning shot to everyone else working at the ABC.”
The ABC insists it has not changed its position, but has not provided a detailed explanation of how her temporary role came to a sudden and untimely end.
“It was clear from the evidence provided in the ABC’s response to Ms Lattouf’s claim that she had not been dismissed,” a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.
“The jurisdictional objection was formalized as soon as it became clear that the matter had not been resolved.
‘If the ABC is successful in its application, the unlawful rescission claim will not proceed.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Lattouf for comment.