Latest news with #Charkawi
ABC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The Muslim Vote urges Parramatta constituents to preference Liberals over Labor due to 'justice on Gaza'
The Muslim Vote campaign is urging voters in the marginal seat of Parramatta to preference the Liberals over Labor as it takes aim at the ALP's "failure to stand for justice on Gaza and Palestine". The teal-style movement is not a political party, but instead endorses independent candidates that align with its message of uniting Muslim voters to elect candidates who are more supportive of Palestinian rights. Anger in the Muslim and Arab communities over the destruction of Gaza has boiled over as bloody scenes from the besieged strip have flooded the news over the last 18 months. The Muslim Vote is a movement which is endorsing independent candidates that are more supportive of Palestinian rights. ( ABC News: Marcus Stimson ) Stay updated: Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on The Muslim Vote convener Sheikh Wesam Charkawi told the ABC most of that anger is directed at the federal government. "The frustration, I've never seen on this level. The anger, I've never seen on this level," Sheikh Charkawi said. While the campaign is not endorsing a candidate in Parramatta, it's hoping to unseat first term federal Labor member Andrew Charlton. Sheikh Charkawi said the strategic decision is intended to send a strong message to the Labor Party. "Labor will be preferenced after Liberal and that ensures that they are held to account for the stances they've taken on the issues that we brought to them and they've simply failed to act," he said. Parramatta MP Andrew Charlton holds the seat by a slim margin. ( Facebook: Andrew Charlton MP ) The Labor Party has traditionally counted on Australian Muslims to vote Labor, but "the community feel betrayed", said Sheikh Charkawi. "We will not be held as political hostages, we're not going to uphold that system," he said. "Given that you presided over a genocide and paid nothing but weak lip service then you deserve to be preferenced beneath the Liberal Party." The International Court of Justice earlier last year ruled Israel must do everything in its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected the genocide allegations levelled against it, brought to the court by South Africa. The Gaza Health Ministry said that since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians. The Israeli government said 1,200 Israelis were killed in an attack by Hamas. 'Abandoned his constituency' According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 census, 10.5 per cent or just over 21,000 Muslims live in the Parramatta Commonwealth Electoral Division. There is no way of knowing how many of them are voters. The Muslim Vote has endorsed independent candidates Dr Ziad Bassyouny to run against Minister Tony Burke in Watson, and pharmacist Ahmed Ouf in Minister Jason Clare's seat of Blaxland — the two seats with the largest Muslim population nationally. Both ministers hold their seats with comfortable margins of 15.1 per cent in Watson and 14.9 per cent in Blaxland. It's a different story in Parramatta however, as Mr Charlton holds the seat by a slim 3.7 per cent margin. He is up against Liberal candidate Katie Mullens. The ABC reached out to Mr Charlton and Ms Mullen, who both declined to comment. Just over 21,000 Muslims live in the Parramatta Commonwealth Electoral Division, according to the latest census data. ( ABC News: Mackenzie Heard ) Sheikh Wesam said the message to Mr Charlton was clear. "There needs to be consequences for your actions. Andrew Charlton, has been very, very quiet and very silent on standing for justice on Palestine and Gaza." The Muslim Vote will urge all its supporters in Parramatta to preference Greens candidate Liz Tilly first. The Muslim Vote is urging its supporters in Parramatta to give their first preference to Liz Tilly from The Greens. ( Supplied: The Muslim Vote ) Ms Mullens comes in at number five followed by Mr Charlton — just before Trumpet of Patriots and Pauline Hanson's One Nation. The Muslim Vote and other members of the community say they have reached out to Mr Charlton to voice their anger and frustration. But Sheikh Wesam said their calls had fallen on deaf ears. "Andrew Charlton has abandoned his constituency on the Gaza issue. There's a mood of betrayal on the ground. "We're hearing in fact from a lot of people that are saying, come next election 3rd of May, we'll definitely going to be casting our votes against the Labor Party." Loading Having trouble seeing this form? Try
The Guardian
27-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Western Sydney support officer returns to school after student protest over response to posts
A support officer at a western Sydney school who was ordered to work from home after posting a video in response to the Bankstown hospital nurses where he criticised 'selective outrage' has returned to his position. Sheikh Wesam Charkawi, who works at Granville Boys high school, posted a video on his social media platforms on 16 February where he spoke about the public reaction to two nurses who allegedly claimed in a social media video they wouldn't treat Israelis and boasted of sending them to hell. In his video, Charkawi said the nurses' comments were 'never meant to be literal or intended to be a threat to patient care' and criticised people who had spoken out about them but remained silent on Israel's actions. 'We refuse to accept a political and media landscape where Muslims are only visible when are being condemned, but invisible when they are being killed,' he said in the video. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The education department first asked Charkawi to remove the posts from TikTok and Instagram at a meeting on 18 February, as the department believed the posts did not comply with departmental and government policies. He refused, so the department asked him to work from home until the matter was resolved, Guardian Australia understands. On 24 February, the department issued a directive, instructing him to remove the posts by 26 February. The video was removed from his Instagram and TikTok but remains on his Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. In a meeting between senior department officials, Charkawi and his legal representative on Thursday, it was agreed he could return to his role at the school on Friday morning, the sheikh's lawyer said. The decision came after students at the school staged protests on Wednesday and Thursday against the directive. The NSW education department was contacted for comment. Charkawi's lawyer, Majed Kheir, told Guardian Australia the posts did not breach the department's social media policy. He raised concerns about the 'validity' and 'legal basis' of the directive that formally instructed Charkawi to remove the video. 'Our feeling was that there's a level of ambiguity and uncertainty in what is required of public servants and that the department has capitalised upon that level of ambiguity and uncertainty to place pressure on the sheikh to remain silent in this instance.' Kheir questioned whether a similar directive would be issued to teachers expressing opinions on the war in Ukraine or the voice referendum. 'The ambiguity here is extremely concerning because there is more scope within that to silence certain views. And that is what we say has occurred here.' Guardian Australia understands media reporting on the video led the department to issue the directive instructing Charkawi to remove it. In the directive, the department referred to its social media policy, associated social media procedures and code of ethics and conduct. The education department also referred to a letter issued by the NSW premier's department in mid-February which said public servants 'have a duty to uphold the reputation of your department and the government sector as apolitical, impartial and professional'. 'This includes also in a private capacity in public forums, on social media, or when engaging in political or social issues.' Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Charkawi has worked as a support officer at Granville boys school for 13 years and is well known to parents and the wider community. Charkawi is one of the leaders of the grassroots political group the Muslim Vote, which was established in response to community anger at Labor's handling of the war in Gaza. It plans to back candidates in Watson, Blaxland and Werriwa in western Sydney in this year's federal election. Charkawi recently signed a community statement alongside a number of Muslim groups and leaders that argued the 'speed, intensity and uniformity of responses from certain political leaders and media outlets' to the Bankstown nurses video was 'revealing'. Chris Breen, from the group Teachers and School Staff for Palestine, said the NSW premier's department letter left teachers and school staff feeling 'fearful' and 'silenced'. 'There are many schools where people are fearful to talk about Gaza, to express a desire for the horrors there to stop. There are staff who won't wear a Keffieyeh [traditional Palestinian scarf] or a pro-Palestine badge because they are fearful about the consequences for their employment,' he said. 'And this letter just reinforced that fear.' He said the letter was 'intended to tell teachers that some human rights are not up for discussion'. 'Teachers, in general, think this, and what has happened to Sheikh Wesam, is outrageous. There is a worry of the slippery slope here that teachers won't be able to comment on politics outside of school soon.' An education department spokesperson said on Wednesday that all public servants needed to remain 'apolitical'. 'All NSW Department of Education employees have been reminded of their duty to uphold the reputation of the department as apolitical and impartial.' One of the Bankstown nurses, Sarah Abu Lebdeh, has been charged over the video in relation to the allegedly anti-Israeli video.
