Court case by Zionist Federation against journalist Kostakidis discontinued by consent

Federal court proceedings brought by the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) against journalist and former SBS newsreader Mary Kostakidis have been discontinued by consent, with no order made regarding costs.

ZFA chief executive Alon Cassuto had accused Kostakidis of breaching the Racial Discrimination Act over two posts she shared on X in January 2024, both containing a video of a speech by the late Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah. One post included a comment from Kostakidis about the Israeli government and its actions. The complaint was first lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission before being escalated to the federal court.

Last year, Kostakidis had asked the court to strike out the case, arguing the claim failed to specify which race, ethnicity or nationality had been offended by her posts.

In a statement, Kostakidis said she had spent two years preparing a defence in a case she described as aimed at silencing her, calling the discontinuation a win for Australians who value freedom of political expression. She thanked those who had supported her financially and said journalism's role was to pursue truth fearlessly and hold power accountable.

Cassuto said his objectives in bringing the case had been substantially met after Kostakidis issued a public apology in 2025 for the hurt and distress her posts caused Jewish and Israeli Australians who had interpreted them as an endorsement. He said a further apology compelled by the court would ring hollow, and noted that the concerns behind his complaint were now being examined by a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, with its report due in December.