“I made my resolution earlier than studying about Antoinette Lattouf’s termination. Nevertheless, I’m disenchanted and anxious by stories about her therapy.
Police had been current on the ABC’s Ultimo workplace in Sydney on Thursday for protests regarding the dismissal of Antoinette Lattouf and the broader difficulty of silencing journalists.Credit score: Dion Georgopoulos
“I’m happy with my seven years on the public broadcaster. Whereas I’m leaving the ABC and the federal parliamentary press gallery, I nonetheless get pleasure from storytelling and consider good journalism ought to maintain the highly effective to account – be it people or states. I’m trying ahead to pursuing a brand new and thrilling alternative in 2024.”
An ABC spokesperson congratulated Haydar on a terrific profession with the broadcaster, agreeing that the Australian media business wanted real dedication to correctly representing Australia’s full variety of individuals and views within the workforce, and in content material. They added the broadcaster had a powerful dedication to this objective.
“The ABC Information workforce and journalism is essentially the most consultant it has ever been, and we’re persevering with to progress. Together with a spread of voices and views makes our journalism higher and extra correct,” they stated.
“The Israel-Gaza battle is a fancy and tough story to cowl and we perceive and care concerning the specific private {and professional} challenges it entails for journalists. The ABC is dedicated to accuracy, impartiality and equity in our Israel-Gaza protection, as in all our reporting.
“The ABC has robust editorial insurance policies that underpin our journalism and a rigorous course of – together with an Ombudsman’s Workplace – to deal with editorial complaints.”
The spokesperson added that no ABC staff must be subjected to private assaults.
“The ABC consistently strives to help and defend ABC staff and their work, internally and externally.”
Haydar is of Lebanese heritage. Her grandmother was killed in a civilian convoy by an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon in 2006. A subsequent Human Rights Watch investigation urged the United Nations to research over potential warfare crimes.
She was additionally considered one of about 200 employees to participate in a gathering with senior information employees on the ABC in November in accordance with a supply not authorised to talk publicly, however with direct data of the assembly.
In the course of the assembly, employees criticised the broadcaster’s protection of the warfare between Israel and Hamas following the October 7 assault on Israel and the next bombing marketing campaign in Gaza.
Protests on the ABC’s Ultimo workplace on Thursday.Credit score: Dion Georgopoulos
Numerous grievances had been raised, together with the ABC’s hesitancy to make use of specific terminology resembling “invasion”, “occupation”, “genocide”, “apartheid” and “ethnic cleaning” in its reporting, in addition to considerations over potential irreparable injury finished to relations with Arab and Muslim communities.
ABC hierarchy subsequently carried out a Gaza advisory panel for its ongoing protection, however the broadcaster’s union home committee, alongside a number of distinguished journalists, signed a letter later that month urging the nation’s newsrooms to reassess and enhance their protection of the battle.
Journalists from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age additionally signed the letter, which amassed greater than 300 signatures.
Haydar additionally got here beneath criticism in October from media shops together with Sky Information Australia and the Day by day Mail for sharing social media posts regarding the battle, however was not deemed to have breached the broadcaster’s social media insurance policies.
Media, Leisure & Arts Alliance media director Cassie Derrick advised this masthead the ABC has a poor monitor file of supporting journalists from various cultural backgrounds after they come beneath exterior criticism and assault.
“The resignation of Nour Haydar follows a sample that has seen Stan Grant give up the ABC and Antoinette Latouff sacked on the alleged path of the managing director. In every case, administration has did not again their employees after they have come beneath assault from exterior the ABC.
“First Nations journalists and journalists from cultural minorities on the ABC say they’ve felt deserted by administration after they have been focused by foyer teams and politicians.”