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. Hi, I’m Amanda Meade, and I’ll be watching day seven of the Antoinette Lattouf v ABC unlawful termination claim.
