No, PM did not say eSafety commissioner is trying to remove video of Sydney nurses
David Williams
February 19, 2025
WHAT WAS CLAIMED
The prime minister has announced the eSafety commissioner is trying to remove the video of the Bankstown nurses, citing concerns over Islamophobia.
OUR VERDICT
False. The claim comes from a parody account, and the commissioner said the video does not meet the threshold for removal.
AAP FactCheck – The prime minister has not announced that the eSafety commissioner is trying to take down a video featuring two Sydney nurses over Islamophobia fears, despite claims circulating online.
The claim comes from a parody account, but has been shared on social media as if it were fact.
The commissioner’s office has confirmed it has not sought the removal of the video, stating it does not meet the threshold for action.
The parody post relates to the now-viral video of two Bankstown Hospital nurses, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, in conversation with Israeli content creator Max Veifer.
The video, in which they appear to claim they won’t treat Israeli people and boast of sending them to hell, sparked shock and outrage from other nurses, government officials and the wider community.
An account parodying the Australian prime minister posted on X on February 15, stating: “The eSafety Commissioner is attempting to have the Bankstown nurses video removed from the internet, citing concerns over Islamophobia.”
The account’s handle reads: “Anthony Albanese. Australian Labor Parody”.
The post has been viewed more than one million times.
Several social media posts have used screenshots to share the X post, but are missing the “parody” portion of the account’s handle.
Other posts appear to repeat the claim without any reference to the parody account.
AAP FactCheck searched for comments from the eSafety commissioner following the release of the video, and could not find any suggestion the commissioner is attempting to have the video removed for any reason.
The eSafety commissioner’s office confirmed this to AAP FactCheck.
“Following a number of complaints from the public, eSafety has assessed this material and found it does not meet any threshold for removal under the Online Safety Act,” a spokesperson for the commissioner said.
“Therefore, eSafety has not sought removal of the material.”
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. (AAP)
