MEDIA STATEMENT | 25 June 2025
Lattouf victory exposes systematic silencing of journalists of colour
National racial justice organisation Democracy in Colour has welcomed today’s Federal Court ruling in favour of journalist Antoinette Lattouf, saying the landmark decision exposes the systematic silencing taking place in Australian media institutions in regards to Palestine.
Justice Darryl Rangiah awarded Ms Lattouf $70,000 in compensation after finding the ABC had unlawfully dismissed her for expressing political opinions opposing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The court determined that the public broadcaster contravened the Fair Work Act when it succumbed to an “orchestrated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists”.
Jamal Hakim, Chair of Democracy in Colour, said the ruling proved patterns of silencing that the organisation has long documented in Australian media.
“Today’s Federal Court ruling proves what we’ve long known: that Antoinette Lattouf was punished not for breaching any genuine editorial standard, but for daring to speak truth to power,” Mr Hakim said.
“Justice Rangiah’s findings expose the ugly reality of organised intimidation campaigns. When the ABC capitulated to pressure from the pro-Israel lobby within 48 hours, they didn’t just betray Antoinette – they betrayed their own editorial standards and the Australian public who deserve to know the truth about Israel’s human rights abuses.”
The ruling revealed damning evidence of how external pressure influenced the ABC’s decision-making, with former chair Ita Buttrose sending six rapid-fire emails detailing complaints and suggesting Lattouf should “come down with flu or COVID” to avoid controversy.
“What happened to Antoinette represents exactly the kind of structural racism Democracy in Colour was founded to challenge,” Mr Hakim continued. “This isn’t about one journalist or one news story – it’s about systematic barriers that prevent people of colour from participating authentically in democratic discourse.”
Democracy in Colour has documented similar patterns across Australian media through its Hate is Not News campaign and workplace anti-racism training programs, which address how discriminatory practices exclude diverse voices from editorial decision-making.
“At Democracy in Colour, we’ve seen this playbook repeatedly – orchestrated outrage, manufactured panic, and institutional cowardice combining to silence those who speak for the voiceless,” Mr Hakim said. “Our workplace anti-racism training programs exist precisely because employers consistently fail to protect staff of colour from coordinated attacks designed to eliminate their voices.”
Further quotes:
Jamal Hakim, Chair, Democracy in Colour:
- “This victory belongs not just to Antoinette, but to every worker who has been told to stay quiet while injustice flourishes.”
- “As Australia’s first racial justice organisation led entirely by people of colour, we understand that authentic democracy requires diverse voices to have genuine power in institutions that shape public discourse. Today’s ruling provides crucial legal tools to challenge the discriminatory practices that silence marginalised voices in Australian journalism.”
Noura Mansour, National Director, Democracy in Colour:
- “For the last two years, the ABC has been consistently shutting down valid criticism of the State of Israel, suppressing POC voices, especially Palestinians and others who call for an end to crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. With its blatantly biased coverage, the ABC has adopted the role of a Zionist propaganda mouthpiece as it worked to manufacture consent for the Israeli-US backed genocide in Palestine.”
- “We congratulate Ms Lattouf for her tenacious fight for free press and freedom of expression. This is a groundbreaking victory and milestone in the long and arduous fight for racial justice.”