Australian news and politics recap: NSW Health staff stood down over vile anti-Semitic video

Alex Ryvchin, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive, has expressed his disgust over the video depcting two nurses spewing anti-Semitic threats.

“This is utterly sickening to watch. Their unrepentant, gleeful hatred is the precursor to the violence we are experiencing in our country and it must be stamped out,” he wrote in a post to X.

“These two medical professionals employed by NSW Health must be identified and immediately removed from any scenario in which they could give effect to their threats and their murderous intent.”

Two Bankstown nurses stood down after bragging on video that they would refuse to treat Israeli people at their hospital and would “kill them” will never work for NSW Health again.

Health Minister Ryan Park made the vow while confirming NSW Health and NSW Police were both investigating.

“I say to the people of New South Wales, but in particular, to the Jewish community – I, as the New South Wales health minister, am so very sorry that you are having to deal with this.

“There is no place in our hospital and health system for this sort of view to ever, ever take place. There is no place for this sort of perspective in our society.

“Hospitals are different in the fact that every single Australian, and every single resident of this state, should be able to go to their local hospital when they need care and attention, and get high-quality care that is safe and effective.”

Federal Health Minister has also expressed his disgust over the video.

“It makes me sick to my stomach,” he said.

“The idea that you would single out a particular group in our community and indicate you wouldn’t care for them, runs against every single principle in our healthcare system.

“At a time of unprecedented antisemitism in our country, this is a particularly sickening video.”

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Labor is facing a fresh hurdle to secure an exemption on aluminium and steel tariffs after a senior adviser to Donald Trump accused Australia of “killing the aluminium market.”

Anthony Albanese on Tuesday secured a commitment from Mr Trump that he would consider excluding Australia from an executive order that will see 25 per cent taxes placed on imports of the metals to the US from March 12.

The US president praised Mr Albanese as a “very fine man” and acknowledged that the US had a trade surplus with Australia, raising hopes Australian industry would be spared the pain of tariffs.

But in a fresh blow to the Government’s efforts, Peter Navarro, Mr Trump’s senior counsellor for trade and manufacturing, later dampened expectations of an Australian exemption.

“Australia is just killing our aluminium market,” he told CNN. “President Trump says no, no, we’re not, we’re not doing that anymore.”

Two NSW health workers depicted in a video saying they would not treat Israeli patients and would ‘kill them’ instead, have been stood down, NSW Premier Chris Minns says.

“The two individuals have been identified. They’re NSW health workers from Bankstown hospital,” he said on 2GB.

“I can inform you and your listeners that both have been immediately stood down pending a full investigation, of course, but they will not be back in the NSW Health system.

“We need to make sure that this is an iron clad investigation and there’s not a glimmer of hope of some kind of administrative turnback.”

An urgent investigation is underway after a sickening video of two people who claim to be health workers spouting sickening anti-Semitic hate emerged on social media.

In the video a man, who is wearing NSW Health scrubs and identifies himself as a doctor, says: “I’m a doctor my man, in a hospital. You’re going to get killed and you’re going to go to hell (jahannam), inshallah (god willing).”

A woman says “It (Israel) is Palestine’s country, not your country you piece of s..t”.

“One day your time will come. One day you’ll die the most ...”

She goes on to say that they “won’t treat” Israeli people, “I’ll kill them”.

The man tells the man interviewing him that he was going to “get killed” and go to “hell”.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says he is aware of the “appalling” video circulating on social media.

“The comments are vile, dehumanising and unacceptable. They made me sick to my stomach. I have asked NSW Health to launch an urgent investigation to identify the individuals, and they have also referred the matter to NSW Police.

“If the investigation concludes that this behaviour has occurred, these individuals will no longer be working for NSW Health. These comments do not reflect the values of NSW Health or the broader NSW community.”

Grilled over his claims about condoms being sent to Gaza, Elon Musk has admitted “some of the things that I say will be incorrect”.

“Nobody’s gonna bat a thousand. I mean … we will make mistakes, but we’ll act quickly to correct any mistakes,” the billionaire said while in the Oval Office with President donald Trump.

“I’m not sure we should be sending $50 million worth of condoms to anywhere, frankly, I’m not sure that’s something Americans would be really excited about. And that is really an enormous number of condoms when you think about it. But you know, if it went to Mozambique instead of Gaza, I’m like, OK, that’s not as bad. But still, you know, why are we doing that?” he said.

Donald Trump and his billionaire advisor Elon Musk continue to send shudders through the federal government system as they again spoke of massive job cuts.

Mr Trump plans to sign an executive order that would continue downsizing the federal workforce.

Mr Musk has appeared with Trump in the Oval Office as the US President prepared to sign the order.

Musk, the world’s richest man, said there are some good people in the federal bureaucracy but they need to be accountable and called it an “unelected” fourth branch.

“The people voted for major government reform and that’s what the people are going to get,” Musk said. “That’s what democracy is all about.”

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Anthony Albanese’s plan to step in an aquire Rex Airlines if it fails to attract a buyer has been shot down by the Opposition.

Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley says “governments shouldn’t own airlines” because it’s taxpayers that end up paying for them.

“That’s $130 million so far that they have put into Rex,” she said on Sky News.

“The most important thing for a government with airline policy is to get the policy and regulatory settings right so that you do have a sustainable and competitive aviation sector. It doesn’t feel to me like the government has got this right at all with two regional airlines going bust on their watch.

“We will always put regional communities first and we know that we have to have secure, affordable transport for those who live a long way from the capital city.

“So the Coalition always will put that front and centre. But this has just been another failure of management, including airline management by the Albanese government.”

It’s understood that under the former Coalition Government around nine airlines went into administration, including Pacific Air Express and Tiger.

Commonwealth Bank has beaten expectations to deliver a net profit for the first half of the year of $5.13 billion, 2 per cent higher than the same time last year.

The bank delivered revenue of $14 billion for the half, up 3 per cent on the previous year, while expenses rose 6 per cent.

Commbank reported a 23 per cent drop in loan impairment expenses, suggesting mortgage payers were feeling less of the pinch.

CEO Matt Comyn said disciplined lending and lower losses in the consumer finance division helped, while mortgage holders were supported by rising house prices, tax refunds and higher income tax thresholds.

He said the economy had been struggling but was showing signs of an upturn.

“The Australian economy has slowed considerably, with cost of living pressures continuing to weigh on consumer demand and younger customers in particular making real sacrifices. Private sector growth is weak, immigration is starting to slow and geopolitical uncertainties remain,” Mr Comyn said in a statement.

“However, underlying inflation is now moderating towards the target range and we expect Australia will follow offshore economies with an easing cycle starting in 2025.

“This should provide some relief to many households and improve business confidence. The strong labour market and level of ongoing public sector infrastructure spend also provide cause for optimism on the domestic economic outlook.”

The bank declared a dividend of $2.25 per share, fully franked, an increase of 5 per cent year-on-year.

Anthony Albanese has appealed for the Middle East ceasefire to continue after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu warned the tentative peace deal would end if Hamas does not return more hostages on Saturday.

“I want to see the ceasefire continue. I want to see hostages released as well. I think Australians overwhelmingly want to see an end to conflict there. They want to see hostages released and they want to see an end to the involvement of terrorist organisations like Hamas,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese repeated Australia’s long-held support of a two-state solution for Palestinians and Israelis – a position that could be upended by President Donald Trump’s recent proposal for the US to take over Gaza.

“I want Israelis to be able to live in peace and security and prosperity, but I also want a peaceful region, which includes the right of Palestinians to live in peace and security as well,” said Mr Albanese.