Why.
On Sky News, this is Sharry.
Good Evening Tonight, we expose more doctors for denying the rape of Israeli women on October seven and defending her mus taking hostages. These complaints have been dismissed by the h Triple C. That exclusive coming up, plus Hollywood actor Nate bars is on the show. He asks why haven't police pressed charges against the Bankstown nurses and leading economists are now concerned that RBA has bowed to political pressure
in cutting rates too early. I'll be joined by former Treasury Assistant Secretary David Pearl and Warren Hogan, and let's start the show with the rates decision. Today, the RBA delivered a rate cut of zero point twenty five percentage points. This is the first mortgage relief in more than four years, and the cash rate will now fall from four point
three five percent to four point one. Leading economists are concerned this could set back the fight against inflation, that this outcome today is a result of political pressure, and indeed, IBA Governor Michelle Bullock faced an intense political campaign to
cut rates ahead of the election. Labor MPs publicly urged her to cut by double the usual amount, up to fifty basis points, despite grave concerns from economists and a group of labor politicians including Mike Friedlander, Graham Perrot, Brian Mitchell, Rob Mitchell and Sam Ray all piled on the pressure on Michelle Bullock in comments in the Australian newspaper Today, and others including union figures, went on camera.
If they make a decision today not to cut interest rates, it would be a dire mistake.
And I reckon that they deserve great relief.
I want to cut gear and I want to cut My job is to stand up for my community and we need a cut.
Pre ta cheap cheap, Well we all would. Well, you know, any of us have got a mortgage and like one.
That's for sure.
Now the RBA faces accusations that they caved in to political pressure because there's an election on now. We don't have full transparency over the precise vote that took place at the RBA board, whether it was unanimous or which members voted for or against a cut. But Michelle Bullock did indicate today that it was a heated discussion.
It was a difficult decision in the sense that there were arguments on both sides and what I would say is that the Board had a very active debate of the arguments on both sides on this, but in the end came to the view that the better decision was to be a little bit of the restrictiveness, still maintain some restrictiveness, but ease a little bit of restrictiveness in recognition that we are making progress towards our goal.
Sitting around the RBA board table is Stephen Kennedy, the Treasury Secretary and good friend of Jim Chalmers, and you'd imagine he would have been arguing.
Strongly for a cut.
Not only would this boost Albanese's electoral chances, but also fascinating research shows that the suburbs worst hit by rising mortgages are in labor electorates. This is research from the Parliamentary Library. It was commissioned by the Coalition and it shows that twelve of the fifteen most impacted suburbs are in labour seats, and these include Salisbury and Adelaide, where mortgage repayments increased from six hundred and seventy nine dollars
to two thousand, one hundred and seventeen. You can just imagine how those families would be struggling. Then Bayswater in the l seat of Perth, where the monthly mortgage rose two hundred and nine percent to two thousand, three hundred and thirty five dollars a month. And Woodridge in Jim Chalmer's seat of Rancord, where repayments have increased by one hundred and seventy three percent. But all Australians have felt this pain. In total, Australians have had more than thirteen
rate hikes, and twelve of those were under Albanizi. And you remember how Albanizi blamed Scott Morrison for that first rate hike back in the twenty twenty two election campaign. Well it doesn't take responsibility now for the other twelve. And remember Australia is steel and has been in a per capita recession.
For two years.
A family with a typical mortgage will have spent fifty thousand dollars more on mortgage repayments since Albanzi came to government. That's according to Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, who made the point today the prices just aren't going to come down anytime soon now.
Labour's own forecasts. Labour's own forecasts don't get us back to the living standards that they inherited back when they won the election in twenty twenty two. They don't get us back to those living standards until twenty thirty with further downgrades today, it's a long way back.
Treasurer Jim Charmers of Cost celebrated the rate cut and indicated the end is in sight for the cost of living crisis.
It's a demonstration of the progress that Australians have made together in this fight against inflation. Now that progress that we've made has been substantial, it is now sustained and it's reflected in the decision taken by the Reserve Bank today. Now, when we came to office, inflation and interest rates were rising. Now both are falling. This is the softle that we have been planning for and preparing.
For, and you'll hear more of that messaging as the election campaign officially gets underway. But this rate comes despite some economists warning that yes, while headline inflation is now within the IRBAS two to three percent target, this is because it has been artificially lowered by Labour's cost of
living subsidies. This is only temporary and headline inflation is expected to rise back above target when the subsidies stop and underlying inflation is still above three percent, and economists are concerned this decision could push back the fight against inflation. It isn't yet over, as much as Albanezi would like to wish it away.
Michelle Bullet was very keen to note, actually there is a scenario by where if we get things wrong here, we might have to raising distrats again and that really would be bad for the Reserve Bank's credibility, so quite clearly very bad for Australia's economy as well.
This would have been a bit of a knife edged decision for her, and you can read in the statement indeed, that she's forecasting that it's not going to necessarily be the case that this is the first of several rates drops this year.
So as you just heard there from Ross Greenwood explaining her decision, Michelle Bullock said that this rate cut doesn't mean further relief his coming, and that was a curious comment.
So here she was again today.
I can't say one and done. What I can say is that we've done one. We've removed a bit of restrictiveness. We are still restrictive, and we are waiting for more evidence that we're getting inflation sustain to be black in the band before we are willing to move again.
Former Treasury Assistant Secretary David Pearl. He'll be on the show tonight and his view is that this RBA cut is premature. He says, if it needs to be reversed, then our inflation problem will be worse and the credibility.
Of the RBA will be in tatters.
Now, make no mistake, this decision today will play into the election timing, and Albinizi is now poised to call.
The federal election imminently.
Most likely it'll be held in early April, a poll that for many can't come soon enough. Okay, let's continue now our expose over the toxic culture and racism in the Australian healthcare sector, and tonight we can reveal new instances of shocking antisemitism by Australian doctors who've shared posts encouraging radicalization, denying rapes of women on October seven in Israel, and even defending her musk taking hostages. I mean, every day this gets worse. One GP who works in Bankstown
reposted on Instagram Palestine will never die. Have faith in the resistance and in the resilience.
Of the Palestinian people.
Another post also encourages radicalization, saying let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair, with a picture of a masked terrorist. And here's yet another post from this Bangstown GP of a terrorist holding a weapon. Then another GP who presents a very family friendly image will She denies that women were raped on October seven, she claimed incorrectly, and I'm quoting her post here. No women have come
forward about rape, despite many public calls. She also supports boycotting of Israel and tells people to call their super fund to divest from Israeli companies.
This is a GP.
She shared a post claiming October seven was a prison break, and in this post she said that the Israeli state began as Britain and the Allies cruel experiment in apartheid for millions of Palestinian people, she writes, And you wonder why they fight back? Why her mus the Palestinian Liberation organizations and other militia and political organizations formed in response
to Israeli's incursions. Now, I don't need to tell you that this is an egregious reframing of history and it's clear support for terrorist groups that have slaughtered entire innocent families. This GP, as I said, presents with a family friendly image, and she's even a children's author. This is highly dangerous and inflammatory stuff. And here's another doctor, this one in New South Wales, who says, and I quote, Zionists will not be welcome apart from a few spots around the
globe after this war. And this doctor justifies her Musk taking Israeli hostages. He writes, I'm quoting here, you can see it. Her Musk just wanted to get some Palestinians back from a legal detention, so they took their own hostages. This doctor justifying the fact that women and children, and even a nine month old baby, baby Kafir, now presumed dead, was taken hostage. This is sick and he's another denier.
He writes.
Many of the allegations about Hermas's actions on October seventh are not supported by evidence. Now the evidence is there categorically for the world to see. How can a doctor like this treat patience with any credibility? How can he hold a medical license if he's so delusional?
This is frightening.
He was the subject of a complaint to the Healthcare Complaints Commission that h triple C, yet they.
Took no action.
I've got their letter tonight, and in fact, in their letter of response they admit they didn't go to him for a comment about this. Doesn't sound like a very thorough investigation to me, the h TRIPC said in their letter. The Commission acknowledges the upset caused by anti Semitic and racist comments posted on social media. However, we have been
unable to establish conduct concerns at this time. This is because we understand that the current situation regarding Israel and Gaza is complex and individuals may express differing opinions as well as exercise free speech. This is pathetic and weak from the regulator. How can they take no action against a medical practitioner who denies that women were raped, who makes excuses for hamas and even defends the taking of hostage.
It's utterly inexplicable and it's an indictment on the h Triple C. Then have a look at this GP in Brisbane who engaged in some classic anti Semitic tropes, writing on social media that the Zionist mafia that controls the world. No surprise, they talk like gangsters, the actual mob. And she also said, and I'm quoting, and Zionists still play the anti Symitic card when Islamophobia is way more of an issue. Wish I had due privilege, Wow, due privilege.
And right outside the RPA hospital in Sydney, social media footage shows a pro Palestinian protest where there were accusations of genocide.
Imagine how uncomfortable.
That would have made Jewish patients and staff feel. Now we could be here all night. There are so many examples and this problem is clear systemic, with doctors and nurses being able to bring their racism to work, and this leaves Jewish patients vulnerable. Now I've been inundated with anti Semitic instances in the past few days. Kelly Sloane, she was on the show last night. She said she
had as well. And my understanding is that the health Minister, Ryan Park, you're in New South Wales, has also received many people complaining about their experiences. And I suggested today to Ryan Park that he set up, as I said on the show last night, he should set up a hotline or an inquiry to examine all of these instances.
He said to me today that he was open to the idea.
He understands the issue, and he told me he's thinking about the best way to deal with this. He's on it. He wants it to be dealt with in a timely manner. He doesn't want to drag it on with long inquiry, so he's trying to work out the best process. But quite clearly, one of the issues that needs to be examined whether it's by the state so the federal government, is how APRA and other medical regulators, how the a
Triple ce handles this as well. And meanwhile, tomorrow morning it will be a week since this video went viral.
Let's say an Israeli go for them.
I went to treat them, luck to them.
You have no idea how many Israeli had a dog came to this hospital and me too.
And yet still New South Wales police and the AFP haven't pressed charges against the two Bankstown nurses despite their clear hate speech. Now I talk about this with Hollywood actor Nate Buzz a bit later in the show.
Here's what he told me today.
The Australian government is scared to push this through the legal system because if these two people are charged and found guilty, of what they've done. I think it's going to open up Pandora's box into every other anti Semitic member of the Arab Islamic community in Australia who have been allowed to spew hate for fifteen months now.
If police don't take action here, then the hate speech laws are not worth the paper they're written on and there will be an ouproar from all Australians. Right joining me now, former Speaker of the House Bronwin Bishop and Liberal Senator Holly Hughes.
Welcome to you both.
And Holly, you actually get to question Opera in Senate Estimates next week?
Is that writer? Are you going to be asking them about some of this?
As long as estimates goes ahead next week we will be hearing from Opera, and certainly as a committee, I think we should be writing to them to find out what their response to this is. This is extraordinary that within our healthcare system, people that are supposed to provide care regardless of who is in front of them, it's part of their oaths to do that, that this sort of hate and bile is being allowed to be spewed everywhere over social media. You can only imagine how uncomfortable.
It must be for any Jewish patients of those gps or doctors or concerns that the Jewish community must now have presenting anywhere. Some of these seem to be in certain areas of Sydney. I don't know where the GP in Brisbane is based, but you know, our areas are not completely homogenous or get always totally. They're doing their best in some areas and they're just very well. Maybe a Jewish patient that needs to attend Bankstown Hospital and I'm not sure I'd be too confident if I was there.
Yeah. Well, there's an Instagram account that's been that has set up. It's anonymous that has a lot of examples on it. It's called not my Doctor. And you just have to think that if you're going to see a specialist who you don't know in the future, if you're Jewish, you're going to be wanting to check their social media because these doctors feel comfortable.
Enough putting it there in black and white.
Now, I'm going to return with Jeorgie Crozier that she's the shadow health Minister in Victoria. I'm going to return to speak about this with her in a minute.
So let's get back to this.
Rates decision today, now, Bronwin, this is clearly it's unclear whether there is a strong enough case for the rates cut. Economists have different views. I've got two on the show tonight, but it's clear that this is what the Prime Minister was hoping for and there was a lot of pressure put on the RBA board.
Well, there was a campaign run and unfortunately for the head of the RBA, who I've had a high regard for because she's been strong, but irrespective of whether she's still being strong, it has the appearance of there being political interference and that's bad for the RBA. If you look at the reality, the underlying inflation rate is still at three point two percent, but the statement was it is expected to be between two and three percent if
you project forward. But every other statement has been well we're not there yet, and you look backwards and you say, well it hasn't happened yet. So quite clearly Albaneze he wants to have an election. I've said all along issue. He wanted to go in December and lost his nerve. But the long ward goes on without something, the worse it gets for them. So he is going to try and have this as quickly as he can, there will
be no budget. And when I watched again, as the expression I use with regard to the snake charm of the treasurer, he flaps the lips and nothing meaningful comes out. This is for soft landing. We were planning. Really, you also planned the twelve increases, did you? And the time that you've been the treasure of this country, there is nothing that they have done that could have curbed back
that inflation. They have spent three hundred and forty seven billion dollars extra, which is pushed inflation along instead of being cut back earlier. And together with the industrial relations laws and the push where the government has actually increased wages whereby they get more but they could buy less, the country's economy has been run badly. And that's the fact, and it has to be laid out clearly.
That comment from the governor Michelle Bullock where she said there was heated debate arguments foreign against Look, it shows, yes, they eventually arrived at a decision, but it shows the case wasn't obvious for a rate cut. And we don't even know what her personal position was on this.
And we don't know what the vote was and we don't know who landed where and what thewhelming number was in support of the rake Hut. I have never seen a rake hut so hyped as today, and it was extraordinary the number of people who were tuning in to watch it. I was watching it and I think Ross, I've actually mentioned it to my husband and I don't think I've ever sat around a TV waiting to see
what an RBA decision was. I mean, normally they come in when we're sitting in question time, but I saw Ross greenway't say I've never seen the anticipation around this possible rate cut or not. And you can hear the political campaign charging behind it, and Jim Chalmers came out on Monday saying to his MPs, don't talk about it. And I was doing Pete Stefanovic with Matt fi Waite and he's.
Like, so he's the red rag to a bull.
You know, Matt had the most ridiculous answer, but Dove ride in on the issue, and you know, they were putting so much pressure on the RBA. I'm very concerned that Australians may take this as the start of more rate cuts to come. When going it's not going to be but you and I and Brow when we all watch all the news, we were sitting at home watching
the rate cut. If you're busy cooking dinner for the family and getting the lunches ready for tomorrow while the washing machine's going in the background, you're not sitting down and listening to the full statement of Michelle Bully. You hear this, you think, Wow, things are starting to get a bit easier. If it doesn't come through, if the inflation rate doesn't get between three, and we find that it goes up again, the rates go back, you know a lot of these families are going to get an
almighty shock all over again. And it's and I heard Ross say today, you've got to ring your bank to ask for the rate cart.
You don't just assume it's coming.
People.
Ring your bank tomorrow and tell them you want the car.
Sit on hold for two hours. Yeah, nothing worse. And what you're going to say, bro, We're.
Not going to bring down your basket when you go to the supermarket.
Exactly down again. It stays at that used to.
Be five dollars, it's now seven dollars thirty.
It's not going back.
To five dollars And not to mention the egg shortage at the moment as well. Speaking speak of supermarkets. Now, let's have a look at this story. The Prime Minister has denied that the spin doctors at Labry HQ are peddling misinformation with this latest medi scare attempted.
He said on The Insider the program on ABC on Sunday. There'll be cats, but he won't tell you what they are until after the election. We know last time he went after health and wanted to trash Medicare.
Look, there is no question labor original clip was highly misleading of Peter Duttan's comments. Let's have a look if we have it at that original clip.
We're very clear about this. Medicare is dead. They can't be for free. We have to pay for a world class medical system. We are determined to send a price signal so that we can move away from the view that everything can be for free in health in this country because it can't.
Be authorized by pter Erickson alp camera.
So the government is determined to make sure that Medicare is sustainable.
I mean, holly, he said the exact opposite.
I know.
But when the coalition left government bought billing rates were at eighty eight percent under this labor government that's apparently so fixated on ensuring Medicare is strong, and they've done all of this apparently for bolt billing, bult billing is now at seventy seven percent, So for twenty three percent of Australians they have zero access to bulk billing doctors at all. And in fact, there is not one seat in the country that has not seen a decline in
bulk billing rates. But I think this is more evidence of the fact they have no good story to tell, they have nothing positive to say.
It's all going to be fear.
Mongering and scare campaigns. And I've always said, you know, they're trying to make Peter Dutton as unlikable as possible. When you look at Liberal leaders that have won the prime ministership, we haven't had that many that have been seen as the popular guy you want to go have
a beer with. People want to elect someone who's a strong leader, who's going to take charge, who's going to make decisions, be decisive and stand by them, and they're going to the I know, you know what they see is what they get.
That's what they want.
They don't want someone to go have a beer and a barbecue with. They don't want dj Albow who's clearly made a complete mess of everything.
And you know the one.
Popular leader we had was Malcolm Turnbull and look how well that went.
Not very good point.
We're nearly out of time, but very quickly, Brian, when what's your view on this?
Well, very simply, the Labor Party is very good at telling lies, it's not very good at running the country. And if we look back through the campaigns that they run previously, you see plenty of it. They tried it in the election against Malcolm Turnbull. They're trying the same argument they're trying against Peter Dutton to do. But at the end of the day, the points that Holly just made about looking for a strong leader is perfectly true.
People want some they can depend upon. And when we see Albanezi out there under pressure, as she'll be this time, they can't send him off for a week's COVID lead because he's stuffed up, Because he will stuff up. Because I say, again and again, nobody ever said he was leadership material when I served in that chamber for twenty years. And here is the proof in the eating was.
Correct, all right, from a Bishop poly. Here's great for Shure.
Now, last night I spoke about doctor Mohammad Ghilan. He has worked at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne until just three months ago. This is despite his highly offensive social media posts saying live like sinoa or die trying and I am harmas they are harmas we are all hermas. Now he wasn't sacked, he was stood down while there was an investigation taking place by the Alfred and then he resigned. Victorian Shadow Health Minister Jeorgie Crazier joins me. Now, Jeorji,
great have you on the show. Look, Gilan is still a registered medical practitioner. We can't see that the police have taken any action here. How is this possible?
Well, Shari, you highlighted just the extreme nature of that doctor's posts and I think that is an enormous concern. And I've heard you raise the issue around our pro the regulator. They've not doing the role that they should be regulating doctors and they've just foregone those responsibilities.
Clearly, this should not be happening.
These are really serious claims made by this individual. And if he's still got his practicing registration, goodness knows where he will end up next in Victorian hospitals, and I think that should be concerned to not only every Victorian, but every Australian.
Look, his is a very extreme example, but there are other similar extreme examples that we've spoken about tonight and last night in Brisbane and Sydney and Melbourne, even in Wa.
This is right across the country.
Do you think Mark Butler has done enough, especially considering more than two hundred and sixty doctors wrote to him in October twenty twenty three asking him to take action.
No, there's just been a lack of leadership around this whole issue, Shari. And as we know, there's been doctors that have written to the federal Health Minister. I've had doctors that have reached out to me. I've had other people that have reached out to me expressing their concerns about what is happening in Melbourne hospitals. I'm really concerned about that. In fact, I'm alarmed about it. I can't believe what has gone on when they have spoken to me.
This has just been a.
Leadership void at the federal level, at the state level. Today in the State Parliament, I was calling on the minister to provide guidelines for Victorian hospitals because we just can't have this sort of activity and this activism happening in our hospitals. They're meant to be safe places for people when they're most vulnerable. They're most vulnerable and they're
sick and needing surgery and care. So I just think this is appalling and there's been a lack of leadership right from Mark but the Prime Minister down to the Premier and the Health Minister here in Victoria.
I mean this has all come to light because of the Bankstown nurses scandal a week ago, which was just so shocking, But you think this has been bubbling under the surface for sixteen months now. It hasn't been given proper political attention, it has been given proper media attention. And you just think of some of these doctors. I mean, imagine going to them as a Jewish patient. I showed the post from one doctor last night saying that she
fears seeing Jewish names on her new patient list. You know, how can this be Australia right now?
Well, it jolted me into realizing the extent of it when that video came out last week.
I was absolutely.
Appalled and horrified like most reasonable Australians, it just was just shocking and to think that that's happening in hospitals where they're meant to be safe havens for people so to be Jewish, and I know the stories that have happened here in Victoria.
They have concerned me.
Jewish patients and Jewish doctors and Jewish nurses should not be subjected to what they're being subjected to.
That's the bottom line.
And we've had a real lack of leadership from hospitals, from governments and from the regulator and all of those components, every single one of them need to do better so that this doesn't continue to happen in Australia, in Queensland, in New South Wales, or in Victoria anywhere across the country.
It just shouldn't happen.
One hundred percent. It's the same issue ever. All right, Georgie, great to have you on, Thank you very much for your time. Now still to come, we're going to talk about the rate cut again and whether the RBA was bullied into this decision. Treasury Assistant Secretary David Pearl.
Would join me next. Plus is Ready.
Content creator Max Veiefer has spoken out about how police have handled the horrific video.
Hollywood actor Nate buzz would join me with his reactions.
Welcome back, Well, let's return to today's rate cut. Welcome news for mortgage shoulders across the country. And let's bring in now former Treasury Assistant Secretary David Pearl. David, thank you very much for your time and an excellent article in The Australian yesterday. By the way, we spoke about it here on the show last night. Look in your view, has the RBA caved into political pressure or do you think there was a strong case for a rate cut.
Thanks for having me on, Sharhi. My view is that there was not a strong case for a rate cut, and I based that on the test Michelle Bullok and her board set for themselves some time ago to be met before a rate cut should happen, and that was as you know, that they are confident that inflation has returned sustainably to its two to three point band, and that test is not meant. There are three factors, Shari. One headline inflation, as everybody knows, is still above three percent.
We've had one quarter of inflation that came in below expectations. But one swallow doesn't make a summer. Secondly, the labor market is gaining strength, Employment is growing strongly, vacancy is arising, So there's no sign that the restriction in the rates is slowing labor market activity. And Thirdly, there's the massive uncertainty associated with Donald Trump his threats of trade lars.
The US FED has lost confidence in its own inflation strategy and a signal that it's not going to cut So for those reasons, based on the tests that Michelle Bullock said, there was not a strong case. I don't think it was even a lineball decision.
Yeah, that's really interesting to hear you say that. So would a public campaign that political pressure have played into this. And we know that the Treasury Secretary sits on the board, so what sort of influence would he have in these discussions.
I've spent part of my career sharias and assistant secretary briefing a former Treasury Secretary for his participation in the board. I've read hundreds of Treasury minutes up to the secretary, previous secretaries putting the whole weight of Treasuries expertise behind them to influence the board. Wow, so unlike every other o these serious country which does not allow political actors or people who report to politicians and serve at the pleasure of politicians to make monetary policy decisions.
We do.
And to me, having lived and worked in the US and spoken about this to American central bankers, I've just found it remarkable now. In the past that influence was subtle, But I think it's fair to say that Jim Chalmers and Stephen Kennedy have not been subtle over the past six months to one year. I've written about it in The Australian. Stephen Kennedy, for example, is very close to Ross Garno. He's worked with him, he's friends with him.
They share the same views on inflation and Ross Garno bullied Michelle Bullock late last year and the Financial Reviewers you know, revealed that rang up their op ed editor to demand that his piece pretty much insisting on a rate cut last December be published, so to influence Bullock.
So there may be no connection with Stephen Kennedy, but I think that he was a voice for cutting in the board, whether he genuinely I'm sure he genuinely believes that, but there's no mistake that that's what his boss wants. And then secondly, he has labor lined economists who is close to been beating the drum constantly. So for me, it hasn't been subtle. And I think that, more than anything else, has really shown this decision to be a political capitulation.
I'm so glad you're on the show tonight because that is the most fascinating insight of how a Treasury secondary can wield influence on the board, especially if they are highly political, as you say.
Now.
Michelle Bullok said publicly today herself that there was she used the word heated, but that there was rigorous discussion and debate about whether there should be a rate cut. So that indicates that absolutely wasn't a unanimous view on the board, at least initially.
They might have arrived at one.
But there's also signals, doesn't it, that there wasn't an obvious case for a cut.
Not at all. And in fact, I read the RBA board statement before I came on tonight, and if you remove the references to the decision and just read the economic data and analysis in that statement, nobody would believe that the board was announcing a cut. The statement was quite upfront. It said we've had one quarter of below expectation inflation. It said that that's increased that confidence that inflation is returning to target, not that it gives us confidence.
And it's quite upfront about the labor market getting stronger and the risks of inflation, potential inflation resurgent, getting more serious. So if you take out the decision, I was staggered because there's not a strong case at all.
So is this political interference? Could this be political interference?
Then well call me a cynic. But when I read in the paper yesterday that Jim Chalmers was telling the backbench to cool their horses, I thought, well, that shows that he knows the fixers in And then when I chuged on the television I saw that the cameras were in the meeting room, I thought, well, Charmers or his media people wanted that because they knew that there was going to be a favorable decision. I have no evidence of that, but anybody that's savvy with how things operate
in Canberra wouldn't mistake that at all. So for me, it's a political capitulation. Even if it isn't, it has the appearance of one. And as I said, we've got a flawed board structure where we have the treasury sectory there that's not acknowledged for some reason by the media. It's a bit like Anthony Fauci Shahi. T is an example that will appeal to you. Appointing a board to advise him on the origins of COVID and having his
right hand man on it. Would you accept for a moment the integrity of that recommendation or would you have question marks?
Well, we've been reporting it on the show tonight, the fact that he's on there and last night, David Pearl, you are brilliant. I'm so glad you came in the show. They were invaluable in sits. Thank you for your time. Now, coming up after the break, Hollywood actor Nate Buzz will criticize the lack of police police action. Plus we'll return to the RBA later in the hour with the view.
Of Warren Hogan. Stay tuned, Welcome back.
Well.
A few hours ago, the Israeli content creator Max Viifa, who was at the center of that Bangstown video, posted this to his Instagram page. I hope the police are doing everything they can to bring the truth to light.
The fight against these twenties.
Summis is just want battle.
We must stay united to face the challenges ahead.
Let's make Australia a safe place for Jewish people. We've had enough. The Jewish community in Australia had enough. Now.
Max has sent the unedited video to police after I helped him with the correct email address, because the police send him the wrong email address. He's posted it to his social media. He's sent in a police statement. But yet the Daily Telegraph reports today that now police need to travel to.
Israel to interview him.
Police haven't confirmed that, but it seems utterly bizarre. They've got the video, what else do they need now? I spoke to Hollywood actor Nate Buzz.
A little bit earlier about all of this.
Now, in this interview, you may notice that on his jumper he's got the number five hundred on it. Well, that's how many days it's been since the hostages were captured. Five hundred days in terrist captivity.
Here he is.
Nate's so great to see you again. Look, it's been a week. Tomorrow morning, it will be a week since you played an important role in getting the Max Viva video into the public domain. No charges laid in relation to this. Yet just like there've basically been no convictions for hate speech, despite the hate preachers, despite the aggressive pro Palestinian protesters chanting hateful slogans.
Do you think there seems to.
Be reluctance by law enforcement to actually use the laws available to them and stop the rise of antisemitism.
Yeah, I think the Australian government has a pretty good understanding of how much hate speech, how much antisemitism, has been voiced by those in the general Australian public over the last fifteen months. I mean, eighth of October we saw people gathering in front of the Sydney Opera House, burning the Israeli flag, chanting some unspeakable things. What they later claimed was saying where are the Jews? But what very much seemed like they were saying, gas the Jews.
And that has just been the consistent every single weekend, whether it's in Sydney or Melbourne, these protesters have gathered and they have spewed out their vile hamas hate speech. You know, and you know, I saw a representative of the Australian government today, I can't remember her name, but she was a Muslim representative trying to protect and shelter and almost convince her audience that we're coming to We're coming after these two nurses too hard, too strong, and
what they said was nothing more than a joke. And what I would say to that comment is it couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, everything that we've heard from the Palestinian messaging is that everything those two nurses said in that specific viral video is exactly in line with what the pro Palestinian supporters have been saying in Australia for the last fifteen months. Globaliz into Farta,
there is no solution into Fara revolution. These sort of things are calling for violence against not only Israeli's but Jews, and we've seen that. We've seen that with the graffiti happening around Australia. We've seen that with the various attacks on Jewish communities, including the firebombing in the synagogue in Melbourne,
the attack on the daycare center. I mean, this is alarming for Australia, Shari and I think the big picture that we're seeing here is the Australian government is scared to push this through the legal system because if these two people are charged and found guilty of what they've done. I think it's going to open up Pandora's box into every other anti Semitic member of the Arab Islamic community in Australia who have been allowed to spew hate for fifteen months.
Yeah, and Pandora's box is already being opened. Last night on my show, I had so many more examples of doctors who are openly praising Hamas more again tonight, even doctors who say they fear seeing Jewish names on their patient list. I mean, these aren't sentiments they're uttering behind closed doors. They're literally putting this on their social media accounts. It's so transparent, and yet again authorities aren't taking any action.
These are registered health professionals. Again, why the reluctance to actually address this.
We have a radicalization problem in Australia, no doubt about it. We have radical Islamic ideologies that have infiltrated Australia, that have been allowed to live and breathe in our communities without being addressed. I think that comes down to our immigration issues, and I think the Australian government is scared to take a strong stand here. I think they realize they're in over their heads and they really have to
make a choice. They're going to have to make a choice whether they are going to back jihadest humas ideology or they're going to stand with a nation that would be considered an ally some fifteen months ago and actually
support the Israeli Jewish community that also calls Australia home. Sadly, from what I've seen from both Albanesi and definitely Penny Wong, is that they are leaning towards a support of radical Islamic ideologies and what we're seeing in Europe, what we're seeing around the world is going to reach our doorsteps faster than we think if the Australian government doesn't come hard down on these nurses and send a very very strong message to the Arab Islamic world. Now here's the thing.
This is my concern, Shari. Australian government is worried about offending the Muslim community. They're scared of Islamophobia, which they should be. Islamophobia is equally as bad as anti Semitism. But I think they're more concerned about protecting the Muslim Arab population in Australia than they are protecting the Jewish Israeli population. And that's what's concerning because I think both
groups should be treated equally. I think both groups should be protected, and I don't think any group should have the freedom to spew anti Semitic and vilification against the nation of Israel. I have no problem with people criticizing Israel, but there is a big difference between criticizing a nation and vilifying them with the intended purpose to cause harm to Jewish Australian citizens and having the freedom to get away with it. And that's what it's coming down to.
And the Australian government knows that, they know that they have allowed this to go on for so long, and I don't think they're willing to pull this back. And that's the scary part. I think what we're going to see is a turn in the cohesion of this country if we allow this divide to keep happening. I mean, I've been tracking some of the nurses that work at Bankstown Hospital and just this week they've taken down their
pro Palestinian Instagram accounts on TikTok and Instagram. They're hiding their evidence, they're trying to cover up what they've been saying all along, because I think a lot of them are scared. The Australian government needs to move on this in a big way and it needs to happen now.
Nate, you're not Jewish, but you've been so strong in standing up against anti Semitism and in support of Israel. What's your message to the Australian community right now?
Yeah, I think I'd like to say to the everyday Australian what may not seem significant right now, why should I care about what's happening in Gaza and specifically Israel Is Because what we've seen is despite the fact that this is a problem that's happening in a country so far from home, it's been brought to our doorstep. And I think every single Australian should always think and stand up for the minority. And the minority of all the
minorities is the Jewish people. If you don't know, adew, there's a reason why, because they're a small minority and yet they've contributed so much to Australia. So I think now's the time that every day Australians should actually take a bold stand and say enough is enough. If you want to be violent, you can go back to the places where you're freely allowed to be violent in the Middle East, and you can wage war on your villages and the neighboring countries if you so wish, but that's
not going to fly here in Australia. And I think this is the moment of time that both every day Australians and the government need to take a strong stance of this, and that starts with these two nurses. They need to face the full force of the law otherwise they're going to keep doing this.
Yeah, police are going to be under increasing pressure over that.
All.
Right after the break, Warren Hogan.
Would join me to speak about today's rate cut that's coming up in a minute.
Welcome back.
Well, let's get the point of view of another economist on whether there should have been a rate cut today. Joining me now, EQ Economics chief economist Warren Hogan. Warren, thanks for your time. Look what's your view on this? Was there a big case, a strong case for a rate cut?
No, not at all. The case is very weak and I think it's a very risky action taken today by the RBA board. What they've done is they've come out today and said our economy needs more employment growth and we are going to have because of that more inflation or we're going to extend this cost of living crisis. They revised up their inflation forecast and they revised up their employment forecasts, So they're stimulating the economy while we're still in the midst of a cost of living crisis.
And I'm not sure that's the right judgment.
Do you think it could push back against inflation?
Oh, it is, and they have indicated that by pushing up their inflation forecast, so the inflation is no longer in their two or three year forecast, arise and returning to the midpoint of the target band. It's only getting down to two point seven. But even that doesn't take into consideration all the risks that sit out there, whether
it's global or internal to Australia. So this is really, I think a real it's a really bad policy move, and it's not only potentially going to be damaging to our economy, but it's certainly got the high potential to be damaging to the RBA's reputation, which has already taken quite a hit in the pandemic with that that forward guidance that was misguided.
Look, we all have an opinion, but in your words, why have they done this today, then.
Look, I mean it's obviously non economic factors, because I can't see why you'd want to stick more inflation into an economy like this, after all the inflation we've had. The general political interpretation is that the RBA, if they didn't cut today, because the expectation was so high that the pylon would be so great, and with this election campaign coming, that it would just do more damage to
their reputation. And then the worst one, of course, is that it was a direct order from the top from the government via the Treasury Secretary that they want to change the policy, the bent that is to have more employment and more inflation.
Warren Hogan, thank you for your time. We're out of time now. Everyone at home, do not miss tomorrow night's show. I've got an exclusive interview with James Packer ahead of our Anti Semitism summit.
James Packer on the show here tomorrow night. I'll see you then. And here's Paul Murray