When it comes to toeing the line, the ABC always plays favourites

ABC managing director and editor-in-chief David Anderson was in the witness box defending the taxpayer-funded public broadcaster’s decision in December 2023 against an unfair dismissal claim by freelance journalist Antoinette Lattouf.

Lattouf’s five-day contract to present ABC Radio’s Mornings program as a temporary fill-in was discontinued after three days.

The ABC says the decision was made on account of the journalist failing to abide by an instruction as to the ABC’s social media policy with respect to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Lattouf denies this. But she does not deny that she is an Israel antagonist.

A decision in the case is likely to be some time away. But already there is much to be learnt. Oshie Fagir, the applicant’s barrister, put it to Anderson that the ABC implemented its social media policy in an inconsistent way concerning its journalists.

As reported by James Madden in these pages on Thursday, Fagir cited several media posts recently made by ABC journalists Laura Tingle, Paul Barry, John Lyons and Patricia Karvelas, which he said breached the ABC’s social media policy as to impartiality.

Fagir’s point was that none of this foursome had been taken off air on account of their statements hostile to Peter Dutton (Tingle), Israel (Barry), Israel (Lyons) and the Murdoch press (Karvelas).

Anderson told the court that while some of the four had been counselled, none had been taken off air.

He also said he was not aware of the comments by Barry (who left the ABC in December) or Karvelas. And he defended Tingle’s comment that Australia is a racist country since, according to Anderson, it “was based in fact”.

How about that? The head of the ABC has declared that it is “based in fact” to maintain – Tingle-like – that Australia is “racist”.

Not that there isn’t a degree of racism in Australia – as there is in all nations. But that racism is embedded in Australia.

Anderson will step down as ABC managing director soon.

Evidence was also led that an ABC manager had described Lattouf’s temporary appointment “as part of our diversity policy”.

I am no supporter of Lattouf’s political views, but she is a talented journalist who is demeaned by being regarded as a mere diversity pick.

Anderson’s responses with respect to Tingle, Barry, Lyons and Karvelas suggests some high-profile ABC presenters are protected by ABC management while some lesser-known types are not.

Louise Milligan appears to be one of the protected lot. This was evident in the way the ABC covered her damages and costs when she defamed Liberal Party politician Andrew Laming in a private post a few years ago.

On Tuesday night, David Marr, the new presenter of Late Night Live on ABC Radio National, announced that his next show would feature investigative journalist Louise Milligan.

But the following evening Marr stated, “we were going to talk to Louise Milligan” about an issue but “we’re postponing that”.

No surprise there, really, when the content of the planned interview is known.

At 5am on Friday, January 31, ABC Online carried an article by Milligan and Charlotte King on the topic Marr spoke about. This story led ABC TV and radio news that morning.

Around the same time, Schwartz Media’s left-wing magazine, The Monthly, published a cover story by Milligan running for 14 pages on the same topic. Clearly, The Monthly’s February 2025 issue was linked to Milligan’s story on ABC Online.