SYDNEY: Australia`s public broadcaster ABC unlawfully dismissed a radio journalist over a social media post related to the Israel-Gaza conflict, a court found on Wednesday.

ABC, seen by many Australians as a bastion of fair reporting, apologised after being ordered to pay Antoinette Lattouf $45,000 in compensation, with a further financial penalty yet to be decided.

The broadcaster broke employment law by terminating her `for reasons including that she held political opinions opposing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza`, Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah said in his ruling.

Lattouf took legal action after being dismissed in December 2023, three days into a five-day casual contract with the ABC.

She had re-posted to Instagram a Human Rights Watch video report on the Gaza conflict with the comment: `HRW reporting starvation as a tool of war`.

ABC senior management`s consternation over the post turned into a `state of panic`, the judge said, and a decision was made to take her off the air `within the hour`.

`We regret how the decision to remove Ms Lattouf from air was handled and the distress occasioned her, ABC managing director Hugh Marks said.

`It`s clear the matter was not handled in line with our values and expectations,` he said in a statement.

`We also let down our staff and audiences, and this failure has caused understandable concern among the public and inside the organisation.`-AFP