The federal court has dismissed an application by a pro-Israel group to initiate contempt proceedings against editors, reporters, and lawyers from Nine Entertainment. The application was filed due to allegations that the newspapers had violated a suppression order issued by Judge Angela Lattouf, in an unlawful termination case.
Among those named in the application were Patrick Elligett, the editor of The Age, Bevan Shields, the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, and two Age reporters, Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan. The suppression order was intended to keep protected the identities and contact information of individuals who had complained to the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) regarding Lattouf’s employment.
Justice Darryl Rangiah dismissed the application, ruling that while there was a reasonably arguable case of contempt against the newspapers and the journalists, there was no evidence that the company’s lawyers had any control over the publication.
Additionally, Rangiah stated that although the pro-Israel group had established a significant case, there was uncertainty in the strength of their claims. He ordered the group to pay half of the legal costs incurred by the newspapers, citing the group’s failure to offer an explanation for their actions earlier this year.
This decision comes after the federal court found in June that the ABC had unlawfully terminated Lattouf for expressing her political opinion about the Israel-Gaza war. The Supreme Court will presumed to review the ABC’s policies for dealing with job termination cases.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/jul/18/antoinette-lattouf-case-federal-court-dismisses-pro-israel-lobby-bid-contempt-application-ntwnfb
