Antoinette Lattouf says her unlawful dismissal from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has permanently changed both her career and personal life, revealing she struggled with anxiety, paranoia, and public isolation during the legal battle that followed.
Speaking on Mediaweek’s Newsmakers podcast, Lattouf reflected on the fallout from the landmark Federal Court case, which found that the ABC unlawfully terminated her after she reposted a Human Rights Watch social media post alleging the Israeli military was using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.
The Federal Court ruling established that dismissing an employee for expressing political opinions – even when shared from external sources – constituted unlawful termination under the Fair Work Act. The ABC was ordered to pay Lattouf a $150,000 penalty, in addition to $70,000 compensation previously awarded by Justice Darryl Rangiah.
During the interview, Lattouf said she was unfairly portrayed as having breached editorial and workplace policies.
“I was smeared to suggest that I broke social media policy. That I didn’t listen to a manager. That I breached editorial policy,” she said.
“But I think anybody who has worked with me would’ve been like, well, that’s not Antoinette.
“People make mistakes, don’t get me wrong. But I was just not the person who would do all three things. It’s just not me.”
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Lattouf also described the moment she was asked to leave the ABC building after being removed from her on-air role.
“When I was asked to collect my bags and leave the building, I was shocked,” she said.
“The meeting lasted only a couple of minutes, and I was flabbergasted.”
She said the Federal Court later found she had not been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations against her.
“I was never given a right of reply. I was never given an opportunity to defend myself.”
The Newsmakers interview also explored the emotional impact of the case.
“When I stop and reflect, I mourn the lightness of Antoinette before this all happened,” Lattouf said.
“I also mourn the loss of the faith, reverence, and esteem I held [for] the public broadcaster.”
Lattouf said the ordeal affected her mental health and sense of safety in public.
“There were many moments when I felt overwhelmed by anxiety, emotion, and the weight of the expectation of other people,” she said.
“I was self-medicating with alcohol. I was having bouts of paranoia in public.”
She also reflected on feeling isolated socially and professionally following the controversy.
“Sometimes at social outings, some people in public-facing roles wouldn’t wanna be in a photograph with me,” she said.
Later in the interview, Lattouf addressed the public scrutiny surrounding the case directly.
“I have done nothing wrong,” she said.
“I am a journalist who shared a fact.”
The full Newsmakers episode explores the court case, the media fallout, and how Lattouf views the Australian media industry after becoming one of its most high-profile and divisive figures.