The ABC's argument questioning race in its legal battle with journalist Antoinette Lattouf has sparked anger from community groups, who have demanded an apology from the public broadcaster's board and an inquiry into its editorial independence.
Lattouf was hired on a casual basis to present the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney over five days in December 2023.
She was dismissed three days into her role after sharing a Human Rights Watch post saying Israel had used starvation as a "weapon of war" in Gaza.
A key issue in the case is whether the ABC gave Lattouf a direction not to post anything on social media.
The public broadcaster is defending the case, saying that the freelance journalist was let go after breaching this direction as well as its editorial policies of impartiality
Lattouf says she was unfairly dismissed because of her political opinion and race. The hearing at the Federal Court in Sydney is ongoing.
Antoinette Lattouf is suing the ABC for unfair dismissal. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi
And asked by Lattouf's lawyer, Oshie Fagir, on Thursday whether in his view there is a Lebanese race, the ABC's outgoing managing director David Anderson said: "I don’t necessarily have an opinion of, I haven’t formed a view as to whether there is or there isn’t."
The Lebanese Muslim Association and Arab Council Australia on Friday criticised both remarks in a statement, labelling Anderson's response "reckless" and "disturbing", as they also criticised its legal defence.
"The ABC's refusal to acknowledge Lebanese identity speaks to a broader culture of exclusion and systemic bias — one that is reflected in its overwhelming monocultural leadership and editorial approach," the Lebanese Muslim Association said in a statement.
As well as a public apology and independent inquiry into the ABC's editorial independence and internal culture, they have also called for Communications Minister Michelle Rowland to intervene and hold the public broadcaster accountable for what they say is a "failure to maintain journalistic integrity and impartiality". They also want "concrete reforms" to "dismantle the ABC's monocultural leadership".
"The ABC cannot claim to represent all Australians while actively undermining the existence of a significant part of the Australian community," Arab Council Australia said in a statement. "The ABC owes it to its audience to ensure that it adheres to the principles of journalistic integrity and avoidance of bias."
Rowland's office declined to comment, and SBS News has contacted the ABC for comment.
ABC's managing director David Anderson told the Federal Court on Thursday he hadn't formed a view as to whether a Lebanese race exists. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett
Some ABC staff have expressed concern the independence of the ABC is no longer "adequately protected".
On Thursday, members of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) at the ABC said their employer's "position that Ms Lattouf has not 'demonstrated the existence of a Lebanese, Arab or Middle Eastern race' destroys any hope that the ABC intends to address the systemic racism identified by the Janke review of last year".
"As a public broadcaster, the ABC must act as a model litigant. We demand it immediately disavows this position and acknowledges, without qualification, that Lebanese, Arab and Middle Eastern people can be subject to racial discrimination," a statement published by the MEAA on Thursday read.
"The trial has confirmed our worst fears: the ABC's independence is not adequately protected."
The involved interviews with 120 current and former ABC staff to hear their perspectives and said their responses "overwhelmingly indicate that racism exists within the ABC workplace and that ABC staff are subjected to racism from external individuals and organisations in connection with their work".
The review made 15 recommendations to improve the ABC's systems around racism, including requiring ABC's board, managing director, senior leadership and staff to read the review in full, recommending that the ABC becomes "pro-actively anti-racist" and improve its responses to public attacks.
Anderson committed to implementing all the recommendations made in the review.
With reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
