Federal court drops case against Mary Kostakidis with no costs
Court proceedings by the Zionist Federation against journalist Mary Kostakidis have been discontinued by consent with no costs.
The Zionist Federation of Australia has ended its federal court case against former SBS newsreader Mary Kostakidis. The case alleged she breached the Racial Discrimination Act by sharing two X posts.
These posts were about a speech by the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in January 2024. The federation's chief executive, Alon Cassuto, said his objectives had been "substantially satisfied" after Kostakidis published a public apology in 2025.
The apology addressed the hurt her posts caused to Jewish and Israeli Australians. The court agreed to discontinue the proceedings by consent, meaning both sides accepted the outcome without a judgment.
Kostakidis said in a statement the discontinuation was a win for press freedom and her right to political expression. She said she had spent two years preparing her defence in what she described as a case aimed at silencing her.
- Zionist Federation of Australia
- Organization
- January 2024
- Speech date
- 2025
- Apology year
- Alon Cassuto
- ZFA chief executive
Why it mattersMarks the end of a high-profile legal dispute over political speech and press freedom in Australia.
AustraliaSets a precedent for how courts handle cases involving allegations of racial discrimination through political speech on social media.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 12 d ago
