Divisive Australian of the Year Grace Tame looks furious as she meets with Scott Morrison

0
30

Australian of the Year (AOTY) Grace Tame could not disguise her contempt for Prime Minister Scott Morrison when the pair reunited at the end of her year-long reign in the honorary position.

The left-leaning activist couldn’t even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea for this year’s finalists at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday.

The ugly confrontation was branded ‘childish’ by Liberal Senator James McGrath on Tuesday, who added: ‘The important issues raised by last year’s Australian of the Year must continue to be addressed by all of us. 

‘It is a pity her behaviour and attacks on our Prime Minister are so partisan, political and childish. 

‘If she didn’t like being Australian of the Year, she should hand back the honour.’

Australian of the Year Grace Tame (pictured right) could not disguise her contempt for Prime Minister Scott Morrison (left) when the pair reunited at the end of her year-long reign

The left-leaning activist couldn't even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday

The left-leaning activist couldn’t even look the PM in the eye when they met at the AOTY morning tea at the Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday

The awkward and tense moment followed a year when Ms Tame used her platform to criticise the Morrison government and Australian society repeatedly.

Her antagonism began on the very day she was awarded the prestigious AOTY title last year, when she later expressed outrage at remarks the Prime Minister had whispered in her ear.

The 27-year-old was given the honour for leading a campaign for a legal change that allowed sex abuse survivors to speak out.

She had been groomed and molested as a schoolgirl by one of her teachers.

Having given a speech at the ceremony, she was surprised by the PM’s reaction and went public with it.

‘Do you know what he said to me, right after I finished that speech and we’re in front of a wall of media?’ the Tasmanian told a podcast. 

‘I s*** you not, he leaned over and right in my ear he goes, ‘Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out’.’

Grace Tame (pictured second from right with fiance Max Heerey) looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny (pictured left)

Grace Tame (pictured second from right with fiance Max Heerey) looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny (pictured left)

Soon afterward, Ms Tame took up the cause of Brittany Higgins, a former Liberal Party staffer who said she was sexually assaulted inside Parliament House and accused the Morrison government of covering it up.

When Mr Morrison later apologised to Ms Higgins for her experiences, citing advice from his wife and consideration of his own children, Ms Tame hit out at him and said ‘it shouldn’t take having children to have a conscience’.

In tweets, she accused Mr Morrison of using a speech to the Women’s Safety Summit to ‘leverage his own image’, and said of his appearance in a cricket commentary box that he used ‘well practiced dribble’ to win favourable media coverage. 

When the pair came face to face again on Tuesday along with this year’s finalists, Ms Tame looked reluctant to even shake hands with the PM and side-eyed him as the posed for pictures.

The awkwardly tense moment followed Ms Tame's outrage at remarks whispered in her ear by the PM after she was awarded the prestigious title last year

The awkwardly tense moment followed Ms Tame’s outrage at remarks whispered in her ear by the PM after she was awarded the prestigious title last year

She looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM and his wife Jenny and barely responded when the PM said ‘Hello Grace.’

Ms Tame replied ‘G’day’ and said ‘Thank you’ when the PM went on to congratulate her on getting engaged to fiance Max Heerey at the weekend. 

But she warmed to a comment from wife Jenny, smiling at the PM’s wife before posing rigidly for the group picture and then walking off.

The moment sparked a row online with many backing her stance while others branded her rude.

‘Don’t mind me, I’m always angry.’ said one. Another added: ‘Tame is a mess.’

Grace Tame posed uncomfortably for the group picture before walking off (pictured)

Grace Tame posed uncomfortably for the group picture before walking off (pictured)

 One admitted: ‘I’m certainly not a fan of this PM and am a fan of Grace Tame but I think the office of prime minister still needs to be respected. 

‘The people can have their say in May but this behaviour is churlish. Stay classy Grace.’

Others though were delighted by her determination to not back down on her beliefs.

‘I salute Grace Tame for having the courage to flip the table when she’s being used as a campaign tool by a total muffin who never did a thing for women,’ said one.

Another added: ‘Grace Tame is all of Australia. He’s lucky he lived.’

Former Liberal MP turned vocal critic of the PM, Julia Banks also joined in the praise for Ms Tame.

‘Grace is the only person in this photo who lives her life with honesty, integrity and empathy,’ she tweeted on Tuesday.

‘Grace’s courage – to speak truth to power & to call out abuse of power has earned her the enduring respect & trust of a nation.’

In Ms Tame’s 2021 acceptance speech, she relived the horror of being groomed by her teacher while she was just 15 and the awful impact it had on her life.

But she was unable to speak out because of laws silencing sex assault victims, until she led a campaign to change the law.

She told the Australian of the Year audience last year: ‘I lost my virginity to a paedophile. I was 15, anorexic; he was 58, he was my teacher.’ 

‘For months he groomed me and then abused me almost every day. Before school, after school, in my uniform, on the floor. I didn’t know who I was.

‘Australia, we’ve come a long way but there’s still more work to do in a lot of areas.’

Her fury at the PM for his comments were later used by Labor to attack the PM in Question Time who admitted: ‘That is roughly my recollection.

Grace Tame looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM (pictured) and his wife Jenny and barely responded when the PM said 'Hello Grace'

Grace Tame looked underwhelmed as she stood alongside the PM (pictured) and his wife Jenny and barely responded when the PM said ‘Hello Grace’

‘That was a very brave statement, that is exactly what I meant when I said that to her on that occasion.’

The Australian of the Year will be announced later tonight with a slate of high-profile Aussies competing for the honour – from wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott to the parents of domestic violence victim Hannah Clarke. 

Eight finalists, one each from Australia’s states and territories, have each been nominated for the role, ranging from campaigners and researchers and professional athletes.   

 Victoria’s nomination for the prestigious award is Dylan Alcott, a 23-time quad wheelchair Grand Slam champion and advocate for Australians with disabilities.

Grace Tame (pictured), activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault, received the title of the 2021 Australian of the Year and has since called for legal and social reform

Grace Tame (pictured), activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault, received the title of the 2021 Australian of the Year and has since called for legal and social reform

 Queensland’s nomination for the top honour is Sue and Lloyd Clarke – the parents of Hannah Clarke who in 2019 was killed by her ex-partner Rowan Baxter alongside their three children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3.

South Australia’s nomination is vaccine researcher Professor Helen Marshall, whose research into meningococcal B has had a global impact.

Professor Veena Sahajwalla is the nomination from NSW in the running to be crowned Australian of the Year – put forward for her research into waste.

The ACT’s nomination is Patty Mills, professional basketballer, four-time Olympian and Indigenous rights advocate.

From the Northern Territory, Leanne Liddle has been put forward for the top honour, for her work as the Director of the Aboriginal Justice Unit.

Documentary filmmaker and journalist Craig Leeson has been nominated for the award by Tasmania for his stirring film A Plastic Ocean.

 And cyber safety educator and campaigner Paul Litherland is the candidate from WA, who after working as a police officer realised the dangers of the internet.

The winner will be announced at 7.30pm, live on ABC TV.

Credit: Source link

#

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here