Grace Tame launches extraordinary attack on ‘weak-kneed’ Anthony Albanese after ‘F... Murdoch’ fiasco

Controversial figure Grace Tame has unleashed on Anthony Albanese after he gave her a dressing down for her attention-seeking display at this year’s Australian of the Year awards.

The Prime Minister and his fiancee happily smiled and posed for photos with Ms Tame, who was wearing a provocative t-shirt with the slogan ‘F... Murdoch’ at Sunday’s ceremony — a choice of attire she claimed was “speaking truth to power”, namely billionaire Rupert Murdoch.

Mr Albanese later claimed he did not notice the “disrespectful” slogan and stated it was not appropriate for the occasion.

“It was clearly designed to get attention,” he said on Monday.

“I don’t intend to add to that attention because I do think that it takes away from what the day should be about, which is the amazing people who are nominated as the Australians of the Year.”

Now Ms Tame, Australian of the Year in 2021, has written a ferocious essay for left-leaning Crikey in which she tears strips off Mr Albanese and his “weak-kneed” government.

Ms Tame pointed out Mr Albanese was happy to capitalise and pose for photos with her for his social media channels after she grabbed headlines giving former Prime Minister Scott Morrison the side-eye at an Australian of the Year Awards morning tea in 2022.

“Fast forward to January 25 this year, when Anthony Albanese, now prime minister, hosted a morning tea for the Australian of the Year Award nominees at The Lodge, where I wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “F... MURDOCH”. Once again, the not-so-free press erupted into a frenzy,” she wrote.

“This time, Anthony wasn’t so pleased. My message to Rupert, the malignant media mogul with disproportionate influence over public discourse, is apparently less convenient to his current campaign.”

Ms Tame said rather than being offended by her shirt, those gathered at this year’s ceremony asked to take selfies with her.

She said that included “medical doctors, academics, scientists, musicians, writers, entrepreneurs, athletes, advocates and “even a former soldier who proudly showed me their own anti-Murdoch merchandise”.

“As I was leaving The Lodge, one of the prime minister’s staff remarked, ‘There are many of us here who wish we could wear that shirt’. Afterwards, journalists wanted to pose beside me.”

Ms Tame said there was never an “appropriate” time to “tell the truth” before going on a rant about climate change, Palestinian liberation and “untouchable king” Murdoch.

She said there had been more outrage over her “silly shirt” than the influence of the Murdoch family or viral video footage of young boys referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as “slaves” and “n*****s”.