Grace Tame has revealed what Prime Minister Scott Morrison said to her following her powerful Australian of the Year speech, and you’ll never say a “yikes” so loud in your life.
It was during a chat with The Betoota Advocate podcast that Tame dropped the anecdote, further cementing Morrison’s well-earned reputation for containing all the empathy of a lizard.
“Do you know what he said to me, right after I finished that speech and we’re in front of a wall of media?” Grace told the Betoota Advocate boys, Clancy Overell and Errol Parker.
“I shit you not, he leant over and right in my ear he goes: ‘Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out’.”
AAREUWHGFSDBJKGDSO. WHY. FUCKING WHY.
If you recall, Tame was awarded Australian of the Year for her work in helping overturn a law preventing sexual assault survivors from speaking out in Tasmania.
She was groomed and raped by her 58-year-old teacher when she was just 15. He was jailed for his crimes, but when Tame tried to speak about her experience, she found she was gagged by an archaic Tasmanian law.
Tame’s powerful acceptance speech spoke about her abuse, as well as being a rallying cry for all survivors to speak up.
“Yes, discussion of child sexual abuse is uncomfortable,” Tame said.
“But nothing is more uncomfortable than the abuse itself. So let us redirect this discomfort to where it belongs: at the feet of perpetrators of these crimes.”
Which makes it even more horrifying that Morrison thought his comment was a *good* one.
“Even if he thought that was a nice thing to say, that’s also an issue,” one of the Betoota boys said. (I’m sorry, I can’t tell their voices apart.)
I don’t want to keep bringing up Jenny Morrison every time her husband tries to reach the lowest acceptable standard of humanity and fails, but if someone could sort him out, that’d be great. Maybe hit up that all-powerful empathy training? IDK, just spitballing here.
You can listen to the Betoota Advocate podcast episode here.
UPDATE: Christ things move fast. Barely an hour-ish after the Grace Tame news broke, Morrison was asked about his comments in Question Time by Labor’s Tanya Plibersek.
“Can the Prime Minister confirm that was his response to this brave woman’s extraordinary speech?” Plibersek asked.
Morrison didn’t deny that’s what he told Tame, and also didn’t appear to quite understand why it was a weird thing to say in the first place.
“I would agree it was, indeed, a very brave speech, Mr Speaker,” Morrison replied.
“I can’t recall the exact words I used, Mr Speaker, but I wouldn’t question that in any way shape or form, what Grace Tame has said. That is roughly my recollection. That was a very brave statement.”
He said it was “a very proud moment for her and her great struggle and challenge over a long period of time”, and that she spoke in a “very strong voice” about her abuse.
“I think in raising her voice in that way, it would have been great to so many victims of sexual’ because and harassment around the country,” Morrison said.
“That is exactly what I meant, Mr Speaker. Exactly what I meant. I don’t know why some other meaning may have been put upon those words, Mr Speaker.”
He could have just said… exactly that? Or thanked her??? Someone who’s good at people teach the PM to talk to them, my patience is dying.
Help is available. If you would like to speak to someone about issues raised in this piece, please call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732, the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, or the Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. If you are in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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