Albanese Apologises for ‘Delicate’ Remark About Grace Tame
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised after calling former Australian of the Year and sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame “delicate.” He said he used the word to refer to the hardships she has faced in life.
During a one-word response game, Albanese described Tame as “delicate.” Tame, 31, strongly rejected the description. She said critics often label women “difficult” when they refuse to stay silent. She added that history later calls such women “valorous.”
Albanese later clarified his remark. He said Tame has lived a very difficult life but deserves great credit for turning her pain into advocacy for others. He apologised if his comment caused any misunderstanding.
Greens leader Larissa Waters criticised the remark on X. She called it “completely unwarranted.” Waters wrote that labelling women as “difficult” will not silence them. She suggested stronger words such as “unbreakable,” “fierce,” or “warrior.”
During the same rapid-fire quiz, Albanese described Donald Trump as “chairman.” He called opposition leader Angus Taylor a “leader.” He described Pauline Hanson, head of the One Nation party, as “divisive.” When asked about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, he responded with “grub,” which drew applause from the audience.
Tame’s Advocacy and Recent Controversies
Authorities named Tame Australian of the Year in 2021 for her work supporting child sexual abuse survivors. She successfully campaigned to overturn laws in Tasmania that prevented victims from speaking publicly about their abuse.
From the age of 15, Tame endured grooming and sexual abuse by her 58-year-old mathematics teacher, Nicolaas Ockert Bester. A court later found him guilty. He served one year and nine months in prison for sexually abusing Tame in 2011.
In 2022, images of Tame refusing to smile at an official event with then-prime minister Scott Morrison went viral. She had openly criticised Morrison over his government’s handling of sexual assault allegations. She also criticised the political culture in Parliament following Brittany Higgins’ allegation that someone raped her in a minister’s office in 2019.
Recently, Tame faced criticism after speaking at a pro-Palestine rally. She used the phrase “globalise the intifada.” Lawmakers are currently considering banning the phrase under proposed laws targeting hateful slogans following the Bondi Beach incidents.
The term “intifada” became widely known during the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in 1987. Some people interpret the phrase as a call for violence against Jewish people. Others argue that it represents resistance to Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza.
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who recently defected to One Nation, called for authorities to strip Tame of her Australian of the Year title over her use of the phrase.