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An employee who tried to defend an "offensive" social media post as "intellectual freedom" has failed to prove he exercised his right in accordance with the "highest ethical, professional and legal standards".

The latest ruling might be the last in the long-running saga, with the employee saying he has "no means to pursue any further appeal options, which are in any case limited".

The case has been on foot since 2019, after the University of Sydney senior lecturer made a general protections application claiming the employer – and its senior deputy vice-chancellor, through his involvement – breached the relevant enterprise agreement in dismissing him for exercising "an enforceable right to intellectual freedom".

In previous years, the employee had been warned about posts he'd made on his Facebook page and X (then Twitter) account, one of which showed a cropped Swastika superimposed over the Israeli flag...