Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised after describing former Australian of the Year Grace Tame as 'difficult', clarifying that he meant she had a 'difficult life'. Speaking in Melbourne on Thursday, Albanese said his comment at a News Corp event on Wednesday was misinterpreted and that Tame could not be described in one word.
Tame, a prominent advocate for sexual abuse survivors, responded on social media, accusing Albanese of quoting former prime minister Scott Morrison. 'We all know what you meant. A badge of honour anyway. A confession that I’ve ruffled him,' she wrote. She also shared posts suggesting 'difficult' is a misogynist code for a woman who won't comply.
Albanese acknowledged Tame's courage and advocacy but said he disagreed with language she used at protests against the Israeli president in early February, where she chanted 'globalise the intifada'. Critics, including opposition figures, have called for her to be stripped of her award.
The comment drew criticism from Greens leader Larissa Waters, who called it 'completely unwarranted', and shadow women's minister Melissa McIntosh, who said it was a 'poor choice of words'. Online commentator Hannah Ferguson accused Albanese of a 'calculated pivot' to the right.
