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February 13, 2025
JAMES PATERSON: Good morning. Well, every Australian woke up this morning being deeply disturbed by the revelations of the behaviour of two nurses in the New South Wales health system, who think that it's perfectly okay and perfectly appropriate in their workplace, in a New South Wales Public Hospital, and in their uniforms on camera to boast about how they had and how they would kill Israeli patients if they turned up for care in the hospital. This is a disturbing insight into just how serious the antisemitism crisis in our country has become, how badly it has festered, how serious it is, and how action is required to address it. And to their credit, the New South Wales government has moved quickly on this issue. They have stood these nurses down, and New South Wales police are investigating whether a criminal act has been committed here. We need to see the same action at the federal level. The Prime Minister needs to lead and direct our federal agencies to lead as well. As of last night, these nurses were still registered by the Australian Health Practitioner Agency and they shouldn't be because being registered allows them to work, not just in a public health system where they've now been banned, but in the private health system where they could do harm to patients. Their registration should be removed and removed immediately. And if New South Wales police are not able to charge these people under the New South Wales state laws, then the federal police should be investigating whether they can be charged under the new federal legislation that the Senate just passed last week, which modernises and targets better anti-incitement to violence laws to ensure that conduct exactly like this is captured. We must send a very strong message as a country and as a community that this behaviour is not tolerated and that there are consequences so that no one else thinks that it's okay to behave like this and so that Jewish Australians and all Australians can be reassured that they will get safe and decent treatment if they walk into a public hospital anywhere in this country.
JOURNALIST: A committee has recommended new federal workplace relations laws to make it easier to sack staff who commit hate crimes. I'm saying it's not supported by Labor and the Coalition, but with today possibly being the last sitting day before a new term of government. Is it too little too late?
PATERSON: It is astonishing to me that the Albanese government thought that another parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism was going to solve anything. We have been calling for months now for a judicial inquiry into antisemitism on campus because it has been totally out of control in this country over the last 16 months. So having a parliamentary committee report on what is likely to be the second last day of parliament before the election is just not good enough. We need action. There is still time to legislate for a judicial inquiry that can be set up and run while the parliament is in recess, until the parliament returns after the election. And we have a private member's bill ready to go. In fact, it was debated in the Senate last week. So if the government agrees to support it, we can ensure it passes today.
JOURNALIST: The government on a Victorian project, if that's okay. The government signed off on a $2.2 billion in funding on the Suburban Rail Loop. Will the Coalition also commit to that funding? And have you got any details of the conditions attached to Labor's pledge?
PATERSON: We don't have any details about that and the government should be transparent about what so-called hurdles they have put in place to the Victorian government for any further funding. But the truth is that the Suburban Rail Loop is a cruel hoax on the people of Melbourne. The Victorian government has no capacity to pay for this and $2.2 billion from the federal government is not even going to touch the sides of what is an absolutely mammoth project. And frankly the Victorian government is hurtling towards insolvency if they continue to proceed with this project. It is very clear this is a patch-up job before the election to buy off Jacinta Allan and the Victorian government, to buy peace between the federal government and the Victorian government, which has been at war with each other behind the scenes over this issue. But it doesn't help Victorians because it's not going to deliver any infrastructure that they actually need and will actually improve their lives.
JOURNALIST: So just to confirm, the Coalition wouldn't commit to the $2.2 billion?
PATERSON: Well, we will have to review the details. It looks like a payment has been made by the federal government to the Victoria government. And if that's the case, then the federal government will be in a very difficult position regardless of the policy stance to recall any of those funds. It's likely those funds are gone to the Victorian government. And the sad reality is that those funds could have been used to improve roads, to improve rail, to make a real difference to Victorians suffering in congestion, whether it's in the western or northern, or south eastern suburbs of Melbourne. But instead it's going to go on a project that will probably never be completed.
JOURNALIST: Thank you.
PATERSON: Thank you.
ENDS
