Key events
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.”
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.
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.
Welcome
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.
