A heated exchange took place on Today between Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, with McKenzie accusing Rishworth of showing "weakness" regarding antisemitism. The discussion centred on a controversial video featuring two Sydney nurses who expressed a desire to harm Israeli patients, leading to outrage from various Islamic groups. These groups, including Stand For Palestine Australia and Hizb Ut Tahrir, accused the media and politicians of demonstrating selective outrage. They asserted that although the nurses breached professional conduct, their statements stemmed from heightened emotions amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas, resulting in substantial casualties in Gaza.
The Coalition is now advocating for the government to revoke funding for the groups behind this statement. Rishworth condemned the comments as "disgusting" while stopping short of committing to the funding demands, resulting in further antagonism from McKenzie, who urged decisive action against antisemitism. Amid the backlash, the nurses involved have been suspended from their healthcare roles, with a police investigation currently underway.