Antoinette Lattouf: Axed ABC presenter’s new legal move

Sacked ABC presenter Antoinette Lattouf has launched new legal action against the national broadcaster over claims it breached its own workplace agreement by firing her.

The new legal action comes on top of Ms Lattouf’s unlawful dismissal claim, in which she claims she was dumped from her role for sharing a social media post from Human Rights Watch and for racial discrimination.

Ms Lattouf’s new case against the ABC was filed in the Federal Court last week.

She alleged that the broadcaster had repeatedly breached its own employee agreement by dismissing her “without proper basis and without due process.”

Ms Lattouf’s statement alleges that the ABC breached the agreement by terminating her employment for misconduct when she had not engaged in such conduct, failed to inform her of the alleged misconduct and failed to inform her of the process to determine whether the alleged misconduct was “substantiated.” ‘.

She also claims the broadcaster did not give her a chance to respond or explain her actions.

Josh Bornstein, principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, said the alleged repeated failure to comply with the agreement was a breach of the Fair Work Act.

“Antoinette Lattouf is the first Australian journalist to be fired for communicating a fact, the very same fact that the ABC reported,” he said in a statement.

‘The behavior of the ABC was a textbook example of what can go wrong when an organization applies brand management techniques instead of being guided by principles, good processes and legal obligations.

Mr Bornstein claimed the ABC “blatantly” ignored its legal obligations when it “panicked” and fired Ms Lattouf.

“Management made no attempt to comply with its own disciplinary regime,” he said.

She is seeking reinstatement, compensation, monetary penalties against the ABC and orders management to ‘undertake training to ensure they meet their EA obligations’.

Ms Lattouf (second from left) has claimed she was fired because she ‘expressed a political opinion and also because of her race’.

Ms Lattouf’s new action adds to her unlawful dismissal claim against the ABC (pictured) over claims she expressed a political opinion by sharing an Instagram post

The ABC has been contacted for comment.

Ms Lattouf, an award-winning journalist, made headlines after she was fired from her role as understudy for Sydney’s Mornings radio slot and ABC Sydney in December.

She has claimed she was dropped for sharing a Human Rights Watch Instagram post detailing allegations that the Israeli government is using famine as a weapon of war in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Ms Lattouf has claimed she was ordered to go because she “had a political opinion and also because of her race”.

But the ABC has denied this, saying a decision has been made not to ‘claim’ her for the final two days of her five-day contract.

It is alleged that she ‘failed or refused to comply’ with directions not to post on social media about controversial matters during the time she was presenting.

Part of Ms Lattouf’s new claim includes allegations that the ABC terminated her employment for misconduct when she had not engaged in such conduct, and for failing to detail what the alleged misconduct entailed. Image: Instagram