Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has closed her charity, the Grace Tame Foundation, weeks after claiming her speaking engagements dried up following controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally. The foundation, established in 2021 to advocate for sexual assault survivors, announced its closure on Thursday, citing challenges in sustaining long-term funding.
The foundation's latest financial report revealed losses of $180,000 over two years, though it stated there were 'reasonable grounds' to believe it could pay its debts, with total equity of $129,563. The board, which includes Tame and three others, said in a statement: 'The Foundation has reached a crossroads. Like many small advocacy organisations, sustaining long-term funding for this work has become increasingly challenging.'
Tame faced backlash in February after shouting 'globalise the intifada' at a protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's state visit in Sydney. The term 'intifada' refers to violent uprisings involving civilian targeting. Following the incident, over 25,000 Australians signed a petition calling for her to be charged with incitement to violence, and some politicians and Jewish leaders demanded she be stripped of her Australian of the Year honour.
In March, Tame incorrectly claimed on ABC radio that reports of sexual violence against Israeli women by Hamas during the October 7 attack 'have been debunked'. She later wrote a piece for Crikey denying antisemitism and alleging a 'smear campaign' by conservative politicians and media, which she said led to the withdrawal of speaking engagements.
