Heartless. Victor Chang Cardiac Institute and the Israel lobby

Professor Peter Macdonald returned to St Vincent’s Hospital on Friday after his suspension, but the Victor Chang Laboratory still refuses to allow him to do his research. Wendy Bacon And Cathy Peters to research.

Ten years ago Macdonald introduced the revolutionary ‘‘Heart in the Box’ The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI) has the technology, but it had not been there for seven weeks after the Palestinian Justice Movement asked a question on a community forum suggesting that Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad, may have been involved in two antisemitism attacks. VCCRI was not mentioned in the forum.

So is St Vincent’s Hospital, which last Friday morning removed a statement from its website implying that Macdonald was anti-Semitic and racist. But there is an equally damaging statement, some of it on VCCRI’s website. Australian.

St Vincent’s crisis triage: heart doctor Macdonald returns to wards after witch hunt

CEO Professor Jason Kovacic launched an extraordinary attack on his colleague without any investigation, calling Macdonald’s comments (which did not mention the Jewish or Israeli people) “contrary to our purpose of promoting the well-being of society”. “The Institute condemns antisemitism, racism and all forms of discrimination.”

Macdonald is one of four prominent researchers to receive a major Federal award. government grant Conducting human clinical trials last year for a drug using spider venom peptide

potential to save thousands of people suffering from heart attacks and strokes.

Calls to retreat

When Greens MLC Sue Higginson wrote to Kovacic calling on the VCCRI to retract its statement, which she described as based on “unfounded and implied accusations”, Kovacic responded by denying any injustice towards Macdonald and stating that an investigation was being conducted “in accordance with our own documented policies, values ​​and expectations which apply to all persons associated with the Institute”.

The investigation is necessarily specific to the facts relevant to Professor Macdonald’s statements. “The Institute does not acknowledge that it predetermined an outcome or acted in a way that impliedly or otherwise denied legal rights.”

Kovacic’s rejection of Macdonald stands in stark contrast to that of the Victor Chang Institute. its frequent introductionincluding their compassionate and egalitarian attitudes.

Just a few months ago, on July 16, VCCRI shared an interview ABC did with him. Facebook comment read: “We are excited to share an inspiring interview with our very own Professor Peter Macdonald… Explore [his] “He has had an incredible career, from his groundbreaking work with Dr Victor Chang to establishing the heart transplant research laboratory at the Institute.”

How can one explain such a rapid rejection of a valued colleague? It is unlikely that Kovacic will release his testimony without Board approval. Both Kovacic and investment banker Matthew Grounds, President of VCCRI, refused to answer any questions.

Influence of the Packer and Lowy families

One thing is clear. Without the influence of the pro-Israel lobby, Macdonald would still be at the VCCRI laboratory where he has worked since 1994.

MWM does not claim that all the people mentioned in this article were responsible for Macdonald’s expulsion. Instead, we explore the pro-Israel connections of those who helped shape VCCRI’s success story.

Since its inception in 1994, VCCRI has been led and supported by some of Australia’s most powerful and wealthiest businessmen.

Media mogul Kerry Packer and shopping center developer Frank Lowy and their families were the first major donors and later won the right to name the building in which the Institute currently resides after them.

Kerry’s son James Packer Personal friend of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and after dinner in Washington last year, they announced that their friendship was as close as ever. He was also a friend of the former president. Mossad Yosi CohenThe man who claimed to have developed the “exploding pagers” last week used recently in Lebanon as part of a “much broader, systematic deployment of sophisticated devices around the world.”

Ros Packer and her son James, along with Frank Lowy and his three sons, are Life Managers and major donors to the VCCRI. The Packers’ last donation of $3.75 million was made in December 2023.

Frank Lowy founded the Westfield shopping empire and sold it for $32 billion in 2017. He later moved to his ‘home’ Israel and was awarded the Israeli Presidential Medal this year. On Frank’s 90th birthday in 2020, then-CEO Graham Lowy thanked his family For their great contribution to VCCRI.

The Lowys continue to play an important role at VCCRI. Frank’s eldest son, Steven, chaired the VCCRI Board of Directors from 2008-2013. He remains one of the Institute’s two current Patrons and personally contributed to the Chair of Medicine currently held by Kovacic.

Few Australians can claim to have done more than Steven Lowy, who sees himself as Israel. “A soldier fighting antisemitism in the diaspora”. Until recently he chaired the international board of trustees of Keren Hayesod/United Israel Appeal.

Under his leadership, more funds were raised for Israel than ever before. He is a member of the Board and Board of Directors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, a global organization based in the United States. He is a good friend of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who thanked him for his ‘exemplary leadership’ at a ceremony at his home late last year.

Steven Lowy is deeply disturbed by the strength of the pro-Palestinian movement in Australia. While receiving an honorary doctorate from UNSW last year, he gave a speech and interview to The Australian magazine, outlining his stance on the Israel-Palestine issue. He accused the protesters of antisemitism and the Greens of supporting terrorism and said ‘Australian values’ were under threat.

Beyond his work at VCCRI, Steven Lowy AUSiMEDAn organization that establishes medical links between Australia and Israel. VCCRI is one of its Australian partners. Earlier this year, AUSiMED held an event to honor the Lowy family. Stephen Lowy took the opportunity to once again talk about the importance of showing unity in the face of what he perceives as antisemitism.

Matthew Grounds and Gary Weiss

When Lowy resigned as Chairman in 2013, he handed over the position to Matthew Grounds. Grounds then worked for UBS, the first major international bank to operate in Israel. Grounds was a close advisor to James Packer and the Lowys.

During his years at UBS, the bank invested in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. continues to do so today. Grounds left UBS in 2019 and is now executive chairman. Barrenjoey Partners, David Gonski is Chairman of the Board. gonsky recently chaired the Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism On the Gold Coast.

Summit of Critics of Antisemitism ‘antisemitic’, says Israeli antisemitism chief

Today, in addition to Grounds, the VCCRI Board of Directors includes seven external business members, many of whom have ties to pro-Israel organizations.

The longest-serving member of the Board of Directors since 2009 is Gary Weiss. Weiss is an astute businessman and well-known corporate raider with interests in real estate and entertainment. A long-time supporter of Israel, he was previously director of the Australia-Israel Council for Jewish Affairs. HE Served on the Westfield Board He works with the Lowys and David Gonski and is director of the conservative Center for Independent Studies. The Packers and Lowys attended his extravagant 50th birthday party.

Earlier this year, Weiss met with former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren, who was in Australia to discuss strategic relations between Israel and Australia.

At that meeting were former US ambassador Arthur Sinodinos, long-term supporters of the Technion in Israel, Ruth and Bob Magid, Chairman of the Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip and Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jews, who called for Macdonald’s removal in September.

They discussed “security, diplomacy and economic cooperation”. “Israel and Australia’s ties are more critical than ever. This is just the beginning,” Ören tweeted.

Weiss’ son, Ben Weiss, said he often turns to his father for advice. venture capitalist in Israel. I recently joined In supporting business links between Israel and Australia and New Zealand by Israel Trade Commission Australia.

Mark Leibler

Gary Weiss also has a long-standing relationship with pro-Israel lobbyist Mark Leibler, a senior partner at the law firm Arnold Block Leibler, who represented him and some of his companies for many years. Leibler’s one long history of political lobbying In favor of Israel.

Israel, Gaza and Australian politics: Master lobbyist Mark Leibler reveals how power really works

Arnold Block Leibler (ABL) is represented on the VCCRI Board by its partner and private asset specialist. Christine Fleer. Christine Fleer is also the director of the Besen Family Foundation. grants in both Australia and Israel through the United Israel Appeal.

Another member of the VCCRI board is Peter Allen, Lowys’ chief financial officer at Westfields. He is currently the CEO of Scentre Group, which acquired Australia’s Westfield. Allen describes Stephen Lowy as a friend and mentor.

Last week, when global soap company Lush closed its Australian stores for a day in solidarity with Gaza, Scentre staff took down their signs at Westfield Bondi Junction. The Australian Jewish Association accused him of antisemitism and said it would terminate Scentre’s lease.

Recently retired Reserve Bank governor Phillip Lowe has joined the boards of both Barrenjoey Capital and VCCRI. In 2023, Lowe gave a special presentation to special guests at Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce events.

VCCRI’s lack of transparency

Members of the VCCRI Board of Directors and the few staff members who strongly support Israel do not represent VCCRI staff or supporters. But their influence, whether unspoken or otherwise, was enough to keep one of Australia’s top cardiologists away from the research laboratory for nearly two months.

It is difficult to think of any study that would be of greater public benefit than a publicly funded study that could save thousands of lives.

Two questions arise from this strong relationship of Zionists with VCCRI. Firstly, is it appropriate that a leading Australian medical research institute, which attracts both public and private funding, should be so actively influenced by its defenders that it denigrated one of Israel’s leading researchers who was found to be prosecuting a genocide in Palestine?

Secondly, what assurances are there that any investigation into Macdonald by the VCCRI will be open and transparent and comply with the rules of natural justice, or that other staff will not be similarly attacked in the future?

Antisemitism? St Vincent’s heartless treatment of questioning cardiologist