Antoinette Lattouf’s $1.1m unfair dismissal case stinging the ABC’s pockets

The ongoing unfair dismissal case involving the ABC and its former journalist, Antoinette Lattouf, is reportedly costing the media organisation $1.1 million.

The legal compensation of $85,000 requested by former ABC journalist Antoinette Lattouf before taking legal action now seems measly compared to the overall costs stinging the pockets of the ABC as the “messy” unfair dismissal case continues.

As reported by the ABC itself, managing director Melanie Kleyn recently revealed that the media organisation has thus far spent $1.1 million in external legal fees – admitting that she could not announce what the final costs will be.

Kleyn, who faced a barrage of questions during Senate estimates claimed that the ABC had attempted to settle the matter “on a commercial basis”.

“The ABC maintains that it did not terminate Ms Lattouf’s one-week contract unlawfully, but we do obviously understand that this is an impost on public funds, and that is why we have tried to attempt to settle this matter,” she said.

Back on 19 December 2023, Lattouf shared an Instagram post that she has alleged began a “spectacularly successful campaign” to have her binned from the ABC. Lattouf’s unfair dismissal fight is the allegation ABC pushed her out because of her “political opinions”, particularly those she publicly shared on her social media pertaining to the Gaza-Israel war.

Looking at how the costs of the case have risen to such an amount, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi asked Kleyn if it was all worth it.

“If you’re asking me: Would the ABC have preferred not to spend the $1.1 million? The answer to that is yes, that is why we have attempted to settle the matter on a number of occasions,” Kleyn said.

“The financial compensation has only been one element of [Lattouf’s] requests, which has resulted in an unfortunate circumstance where we have not been able to settle the matter.”

As the case continues to play out in the Federal Court may have begun to question the decision by the media organisation to even fight against Lattouf’s allegations – pointing towards the overall costs and reputational backlash that the company is facing both internally and externally.

One aspect that riled up the ABC’s own workforce was the questioning around Lattouf’s race by the broadcaster’s legal team – claiming there was such a thing as a Lebanese, Arab or Middle Eastern race.

Outcry from ABC staff was swift, with chief people officer Deena Amorelli having to address the workforce in an email clarifying the broadcaster “does not deny the existence of any race”.

It was just last year that the ABC was embroiled in a scandal surrounding reports of racism being “systemic” throughout the organisation – which employees were quick to point out.

An independent review into the broadcaster conducted interviews with 120 current and former ABC staff, including people who are First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), and Allies, to hear their perspectives and stories.

Only one participant in that cohort of 120 described not experiencing racism in the workplace personally but had been aware of racism occurring at the ABC.