The Australian Media Entertainment Arts Alliance (MEAA) has issued a strong statement defending its members who have been fired and brought to court by the Zionist lobby for daring to criticize Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.
Video by Cathy Vogan for Consortium News.
Statement issued by the MEAA:
“The Media Entertainment Arts Alliance has long fought for media freedoms, rebuking censorship and calling for access to information. Since October 7, MEAA has seen a rise in threats, harassment, and intimidation of journalists who report and comment on Gaza.
High-profile journalists including Antoinette Lattouf, Peter Lalor and Mary Kostakidis have found themselves dismissed, censored and harassed by powerful lobby groups, who seek to undermine press freedom. When reporting, MEAA journalists are subject to the code of ethics, who in their professional capacity, often provide critical commentary on political warfare.
These are the tenets of democracy. Our colleagues across the entertainment and arts sectors are also facing censorship on Australian stages and screens. We stand with our colleagues in their workplaces, in the courtrooms, and in their deaths to raise our voices against the silence.” — MEAA, September 24, 2025
This extension of a protective wing by the country’s largest and most established union for creative professionals came on the very day last week that Antoinette Lattouf was compensated in court by the ABC, Australia’s national broadcaster, for unlawful dismissal.
MEAA’s statement follows the issuing of months of statements of support from around the world for Mary Kostakidis, whose reporting on Middle East conflicts has been challenged by the Zionist Federation of Australia under the Racial Discrimination Act. Both parties are expected to appear in the Federal Court early next year.
Sports journalist Peter Lalor was sacked earlier this year by radio SEN for social media posts about the Gaza genocide. Lattouf too had been dismissed for her social media post (of a Human Rights Watch report about starvation as a weapon of war); and not for anything either had said on air at their networks.
According to the United Nations, the number of Palestinian journalists killed by Israel since the start of the war stood at 242 by Aug. 11.
Everyone please note that Facebook is censoring CN’s links when I try to post in our group Canberra Conversations (Canberra is the capital of Australia) I get a message saying “This is forbidden”. We are often censored at Canberra Conversations because we dare to post articles and Youtubes that go against the dominant narrative – they ban me, the only admin for two weeks at at time especially over anything GAZA related and lately anything that examines the treatment of Australian Journalist Mary Kostakidis. I wonder when police will come knocking on my door as they are currently doing in the UK over social media posts? Will it stop me? NO NO NO. Take courage and do not comply to bullying tactics.
Zionism is a cancer on the whole world, and the malicious attacks on our press and social media for calling it out must be stamped out.
Indeed, the evil experiment that is Israel must be stamped out, before the cancer can be cured.
Down with the zionazis
Congrats on your campaign. But where are the voices of the politicians who got their jobs through the democratic process that includes free speech and a community making decisions based on facts supplied by ethical journos?
Excellent question Duncan.
I suspect that those of whom you speak are hoping no one notices amid the flurry of BS about Trump and the US.
As for free-speech, Ms Lattouf -v- the ABC provides a good example of our “reverence” for same.
Exactly! WHERE are they? Working for the gov and therefore for Israel!
The only thing Israel understands is force. Many countries must send warships filled with lifesaving supplies and with guns for self defense force their way in to Israel and save the Palestinians. It should be done asap.
How can they challenge them with the Racial Discrimination Act when zionism is not a race ?
Exactly.