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ARTICLE · 28 SEPTEMBER 2025

Case Update: $150k Penalty For The ABC

Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers
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The judgment is a reminder that political opinion is a protected attribute; dismissals, even if partly connected to political opinion, are unlawful.

AustraliaEmployment and HR
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The Federal Court has ordered the ABC to pay a total of $150,000 in pecuniary penalties for unlawfully dismissing journalist Antoinette Lattouf over her political views and for multiple breaches of its Enterprise Agreement.

This penalty decision follows the earlier liability finding that the ABC's actions contravened section 772(1)(f) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and several enterprise agreement provisions requiring procedural fairness.

Drawing enormous media attention, this case sets new standards - pushing the boundaries on penalties and damages.

In his decision, Justice Rangiah stated that the contraventions had caused Lattouf very significant consequences, extending beyond the loss of work.

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