Australia’s healthcare sector has collectively denounced a disturbing social media video involving two health workers and reaffirmed its commitment to zero tolerance for racism. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, alongside the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW and the Australian College of Nursing (ACN), has moved swiftly to address the incident, ensuring those involved cannot continue to practise while also assuring the public of the profession’s high ethical standards.
“The Albanese Government utterly condemns the appalling video that has circulated on social media of two health workers from Bankstown Hospital. This video is as chilling as it is vile. The comments made in this video are sickening and totally unacceptable,” Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said in a statement.
The intervention by the NSW Government led to the suspension of the health workers and referral of the matter to the police. According to Minister Butler, the outrage stems from the explicit targeting of a specific group in the community, which contravenes everything Australia’s healthcare system stands for. “Australians have a right to feel safe wherever they go and nowhere should be safer than a hospital. Health workers have a solemn duty to treat and heal everyone who comes before them needing help. The vast majority hold to that oath.”
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW subsequently confirmed it had taken action: “Registration of nurses in New South Wales is the responsibility of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW (the Council). They have now suspended the registrations of registered nurses Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh effective as of 13 February 2025,” Minister Butler said.
This suspension means the two nurses cannot practise nursing in any capacity across the country: “As a result, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) has automatically updated their record on the public register of practitioners and as a result this means the two nurses are unable to practise nursing anywhere in Australia, in any context,” he added.
Minister Butler has made it clear that comments threatening patients or refusing them care based on personal bias violate fundamental ethical obligations. “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 health care system.”
In a statement of solidarity with the federal government, the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) reassured the public that racist behaviour has no place in the nursing profession: “The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) condemns racism of any kind.”
“ACN wishes to reassure the community that nursing professionals are committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and care for patients, regardless of differences in political views.”
Highlighting its code of ethics, the ACN emphasised the profession’s bedrock values of inclusion, respect, and empathy: “Nurses are among the most trusted of professional groups, and the idea of harming patients or withholding care for political, race-based, or religious reasons is morally abhorrent to nurses.”
“The practice of nursing is founded on the principles of equity, inclusion, and respect for diversity.”
Both government and professional bodies stress that maintaining public confidence in the healthcare system remains paramount. The decisive actions taken—swift condemnation, suspensions, and public statements—signal a collective commitment to ensuring all Australians can seek medical attention without fear of prejudice.
“These sort of comments – and the hatred that underpins them – have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia,” Minister Butler said.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
