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“The ABC was contractually entitled to do what it did,” he said.

Lattouf’s lawyer, Mark Gibian, SC, rebutted the ABC’s claim that it had merely exercised its right to pay her and not require Lattouf to work the final two days of the contract.

Gibian said the ABC “expressly terminated” her employment by its conduct, which included alleging she breached ABC policies with the social media post, and as a result would not complete her employment. She was directed to leave after the meeting concluded.

Earlier, Lattouf had told the commission of the importance of the ABC work to her ability to attract external work as a freelance journalist.

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“It does have a significant impact because, obviously, it is the national broadcaster ... so being on-air has a big role in my reputation as a journalist, columnist and author,” she said.

Last week, the commission was told that ABC managing director David Anderson raised concerns about her being on-air on the first day of her intended week-long stint. This was before she shared a social media post about Gaza.

Under cross-examination from Gibian on Friday, ABC Radio Sydney’s content director, Elizabeth Green, said she was asked by station manager Steve Ahern to speak to Lattouf about social media and “what she says about Gaza”.

Green told the commission she subsequently had conversations with Lattouf on Monday and Tuesday, but said she did not give a directive for her not to post on social media.

Earlier, the ABC’s chief content officer, Christopher Oliver-Taylor, told the commission that he had told ABC’s head of audio, Ben Latimer, to instruct Lattouf not to post on social media.

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