The first day of proceedings was capped off by several hours of tetchy exchanges between Lattouf and Ian Neil, SC, the ABC’s barrister, as he cross-examined the former ABC broadcaster, and was at one point told by Justice Darryl Rangiah not to interrupt her responses to his questions.
The pair went around in circles as the ABC silk pushed for Lattouf to admit some of her social media activity could be considered, by some, as “controversial”. Lattouf was steadfast that facts are not controversial, yet conceded eventually some “may be” controversial – but that they were facts.
But the biggest bombshell of the day was correspondence shared by Lattouf’s barrister Oshie Fagir, quoting from texts and emails between Buttrose, Anderson and Oliver-Taylor, revealing the former chair had heavily pushed for Lattouf to be taken off-air after she was subject to a “co-ordinated campaign” of complaints by the “pro-Israel lobby”.
“I have a whole clutch of complaints. Can’t she come down with flu, or COVID or a stomach upset? We owe her nothing,” the court was told Buttrose had said in an email to Anderson.
Catch up on the full story of the first day of evidence here.
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