Two organisations representing Arab migrants in Australia have slammed ABC managing director David Anderson over his refusal to acknowledge the existence of a Lebanese race during the ongoing Federal Court trial between broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf and the national broadcaster.
The Australian Lebanese Association said on Friday Anderson’s statement was “deeply disappointing” and harmed social cohesion. “His deeply disappointing statement seeks to erase Lebanese and Arab identity as distinct racial and ethnic groups,” it said in a statement.
The Arab Council of Australia said it was appalled by Anderson’s failure to acknowledge the existence of a Lebanese people as a racial group.
Questioned about recognising the Lebanese race, Anderson said “I don’t necessarily have an opinion on it. I don’t – I haven’t formed a view as to whether there is or there isn’t.”
The Council said what was even more disturbing was the ABC’s legal defence, which contested the very existence of an Arab or Lebanese race.
“Whether there is a Lebanese, Arab, or Middle Eastern ‘race’ is a complex multi-faceted question of fact,” the organisation said, adding that this “dangerous statement is now on the public record and not only belittles our identity, but attempts to erase it altogether”.
Lattouf was taken off air before she could complete a five-day stint on the ABC in December 2023, with the reason cited being a social media post by her on Instagram. She took the broadcaster to court last year over claims her contract was unfairly terminated.
The ACA said: “For years, Lebanese and Arabic-speaking communities in Australia have condemned the ABC’s pattern of biased and racially charged coverage. This issue has worsened in the wake of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon.
“And now the ABC has taken the decision to question our very existence as a legal tactic in a case that should never have had to go to court in the first place.
“Further, Anderson’s reckless statement that a social media post by Ms Lattouf that referred to the ‘illegal occupation of Palestine’ was ‘antisemitic hatred’ is beyond the pale,” the organisation added.
It pointed out that in July 2024 the International Court of Justice had ruled unequivocally that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza was illegal, adding, “This dangerous error of fact by the managing director of the ABC reveals a deep-seated bias in the ABC’s reporting on one of the world’s most urgent human rights crises.”
The ACA said the ABC should conduct an independent inquiry into its independence from outside interference, editorial bias, systemic racism, and failure to uphold its duty to the public.
It also urged immediate intervention by the federal communications minister to hold the ABC accountable for its failure to maintain journalistic integrity and impartiality, a public apology from the ABC Board for its blatant disregard of the Lebanese and Arab community and changes to the ABC’s monocultural leadership to ensure genuine diversity at all levels.
Australian Lebanese Association president Raymond Najar described the ABC’s as “surreal and blatantly racist”.
“Here we have the head of the national broadcaster accusing Ms Lattouf of being racist for stating facts on the one hand and then erasing her race all within a couple of hours of each other and seemingly blind to the irony of it all,” he said.
“No other cultural group would stand to have its identity denied in this way.”
Najar backed the ACA’s call for an inquiry and intervention by the communications minister.