Let’s check in on what’s been happening at the Federal Court.

As AAP reports:

Despite several senior ABC figures claiming a casual radio host breached impartiality guidelines in personal posts about the war in Gaza, a judge has heard no such rule existed at the broadcaster.

Antoinette Lattouf was recruited to host the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney for five days from Monday to Friday in December 2023

However, the 41-year-old was let go following three days on air after sharing an Instagram post by Human Rights Watch saying Israel used starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.

As an unlawful dismissal case continued in the Federal Court on Wednesday, Lattouf’s barrister Oshie Fagir argued the ABC’s claims her Human Rights Watch post breached impartiality guidelines had no foundation in any policy, procedure or legislation.

“What we propose to submit is that the rule as it has been articulated is utterly incoherent,” he told Justice Darryl Rangiah.

It was “plain as day” there was no such obligation because ABC broadcasters often made public statements without being taken off air or being subject to other sanctions, Mr Fagir argued.

The submission came as he cross-examined ABC audio director Ben Latimer, who said Lattouf expressed a partisan view that was sympathetic to Palestinians in the Gaza conflict when she shared the post.

Former ABC chair Ita Buttrose, outgoing managing director David Anderson and then-content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor all previously raised concerns in court about Lattouf appearing impartial because of her prior statements about the conflict.

Mr Latimer said he had been given a direction by Mr Oliver-Taylor, his superior, to order Lattouf not to post anything on social media about the war.

(Continued in next post)