Antoinette Lattouf v ABC LIVE updates: Ita Buttrose intervention on Lattouf a ‘dead end’; ABC producers told to ‘use dump button if needed’; David Anderson set to be cross-examined

On Wednesday, December 20, Anderson told Buttrose they were “absolutely in damage control”, blaming Ahern for putting the ABC in “an unacceptable position”.

“Mr Ahern made a negligent judgment by employing Ms Lattouf without assessing her prior media and social activity,” the ABC boss said to the chair, according to Neil. Ahern left the ABC in mid-2024.

Anderson reaffirms the position to keep Lattouf on air until the end of her contract, Neil says.

“Where in any of this, does one see any trace, even a bat squeak of antipathy, on the part of Mr Anderson, Mr Oliver Taylor, Ms Buttrose, or anyone who looked at this?” says Neil.

He says their whole focus was on reputational damage.