Key Takeaways
- Federal court proceedings against journalist Mary Kostakidis were discontinued by mutual agreement.
- Kostakidis was accused of breaching the Racial Discrimination Act by sharing two X posts.
- The posts were related to a speech by the late Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah.
Federal court proceedings brought by the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) against journalist Mary Kostakidis have been discontinued by mutual agreement, with no order as to costs.
Kostakidis, a former SBS newsreader, had been accused of breaching the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) by sharing two X posts about a speech by the late Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah in January 2024.
The posts in question were shared on social media platforms, according to the Guardian World report.
The ZFA had accused Kostakidis of racial discrimination, but the case was resolved without a formal judgment or ruling.
In a statement, the ZFA did not provide further details on the case or the reasons for discontinuing the proceedings.
Kostakidis, in a previous statement, did not comment on the case but expressed her commitment to free speech and journalism.
The case highlights the ongoing tensions between media professionals and organizations that seek to enforce strict interpretations of anti-discrimination laws.
Legal experts have noted that such cases can have significant implications for freedom of expression and the role of journalists in reporting on sensitive topics.
