Liberty Victoria's Voltaire Human Rights Award Winner

The recipient of this year’s Liberty Victoria Voltaire Human Rights award is Antoinette Lattouf, in recognition of her role as a broadcaster, journalist and advocate for diversity and mental health.

As a woman from a Lebanese and working-class background working in the Australian media, Antoinette has used her voice to speak in support of a range of causes. Some of these are deeply personal and painful for her and reflect her perspective which comes from a place of difference from most of  the faces seen in mainstream media.  Her book “How to Lose Friends and Influence White People” aims to help people effectively champion change and racial equality.  She is also an ambassador for the parent’s mental health through the Gidget Foundation, following her own debilitating experience of post-natal depression.  She has particularly championed diversity and inclusion in media as a co-founder of Media Diversity Australia.

Antoinette has recently come to national and international attention after she was sacked by the ABC for resharing a post by Human Rights Watch which reported on starvation being used as a weapon of war against civilians in Gaza.  She has responded to this by reaffirming her views that “a journalist is meant to stand up and expose abuses of power… A journalist is meant to report without fear or favour.”  Antoinette has ignited a national conversation on free speech, the importance of an independent public broadcaster, and the way race and political opinion can be weaponised against some Australians. This matter is now the subject of an unfair dismissal claim and before the courts.

You can book tickets here.