Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson has strongly criticised the ABC for awarding former Australian of the Year Grace Tame a taxpayer-funded role in a new podcast series. The ABC's latest podcast, Autistic AF with Grace Tame, premiered on Tuesday as part of the broadcaster's We Need To Talk series. This comes just months after Tame publicly stated she struggled to find work following her controversial pro-Palestine remarks.
Henderson's Criticism
Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson described the ABC's decision to hire Tame as 'untenable'. She demanded that the ABC's managing director and editor-in-chief, Hugh Marks, explain how this appointment aligns with the broadcaster's editorial standards and statutory obligation to provide impartial news and information. 'At a time when antisemitism is at record levels in Australia, the national broadcaster should be exercising the highest standards of judgement, not rewarding individuals who have undermined social cohesion and spread false information about one of the worst terrorist atrocities in modern history,' Henderson said.
She further stated that the decision is 'deeply offensive to Jewish Australians' and does nothing to counter the perception that the ABC provides a safe haven for anti-Israel activists.
Grace Tame's Background and Controversy
Grace Tame, a survivor of child sexual abuse by a 58-year-old teacher, has been a prominent advocate for legal reforms and survivors' rights. However, in recent months she has faced significant backlash for her pro-Palestine comments, including leading a chant to 'globalise the intifada' at a rally. The slogan is seen by some as supportive of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation but also as inciting hatred.
In March, Tame faced criticism during an interview with ABC Sydney Mornings host Hamish Macdonald. When questioned about her silence on the rape and killing of Israeli women by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Tame initially dismissed the claims as 'propaganda', stating that 'violence is happening on both sides'. After Macdonald cited findings from the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the attacks, Tame appeared to backtrack, saying 'awful things are being perpetrated by both sides'.
Questions Over ABC's Impartiality
Senator Henderson questioned how Australians can trust the ABC when it hires a high-profile activist who spread false information. She demanded to know whether the ABC conducted any assessment of Tame's public statements and activism before offering her the role, and whether it considered the impact on public confidence. 'Mr Marks should also disclose what, if any, restrictions have been placed on Ms Tame to ensure she refrains from using this podcast as a platform for anti-Israel activism or does not otherwise engage in conduct which brings the ABC into disrepute,' Henderson added.
She argued that this incident further evidences the need for the ABC to be called before the Royal Commission into antisemitism, as the Coalition has advocated.
The Podcast's Content
In the new series, Tame explores what life is like for women and gender-diverse people with autism, discussing her experiences with food and sound sensitivity, as well as 'masking'—a term describing the hiding or changing of traits, needs, or interests to navigate a world designed primarily for neurotypical people. Tame told ABC presenter Yumi Stynes in the debut episode that 'the toll of masking can be catastrophic, because those needs still need to be met'. She admitted to using alcohol and drugs as a coping strategy but now turns to running and cycling for emotional regulation.
