A Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday will probe the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as former Nine Entertainment chief executive Hugh Marks prepares to commence a five-year term as ABC managing director in March.
The hearing comes amid the broadcaster's legal dispute with journalist Antoinette Lattouf, which returns to the Federal Court on Thursday.
Lattouf was hosting a morning program on ABC Radio Sydney in December 2023 and alleges she was unlawfully taken off air three days into her five-day contract after sharing an Instagram post by Human Rights Watch saying Israel used starvation as a "weapon of war" in Gaza.
Her departure has been a topic at previous estimates hearings, with questions about how much money the ABC was spending on legal fees.
The broadcaster's response in August means it remains unlikely the question will be answered at the estimates hearing on Tuesday.
"To avoid prejudice to the ABC's position, or unintended interference or influence of the proceedings, questions on the costs of litigation should be deferred until the conclusion of those proceedings," it said.
Workplace and business law expert Giuseppe Carabetta estimated the long-running matter will likely result in a hefty bill.
"We're talking about Federal Court proceedings ... these things are exceedingly expensive," the University of Technology Sydney associate professor told AAP.
In addition to the financial cost, the case has also revealed insight into decision-making amongst ABC executives amid a high level of public interest in court hearings that have been streamed online.
"They appeared to have miscommunication problems, and they appeared to panic in a way as well, for right or wrong reasons," Dr Carabetta added.
20°C